Effect of Method of Determination on the Metabolizable Energy Value of Rapeseed Meal

ALTHOUGH the use of rapeseed meal (RSM) in poultry rations has been extensively studied (reviewed by Clandinin and Robblee, 1966), reports on the metabolizable energy (ME) value of RSM are few in number. Sibbald and Slinger (1963b) reported a value of 1670 kcal./kg. for one sample of RSM with chickens and Sell (1966) obtained a value of 2290 kcal./kg. for one sample of RSM with hens. Recently, Lodhi et al. (1969b), employing the ME method of Hill and Anderson (1958), obtained average ME values for nine samples of RSM of 1203, 1313, and 1782 kcal./kg. with 4 week old chicks, 6 week old chicks and laying hens, respectively. The lack of agreement between ME values obtained with chickens of similar age causes one to wonder whether or not the differences in values reported were due to variations in samples of RSM studied or to the ME method employed. The object…