Growing broiler chickens on new spring rape varieties
Ensuring a balanced feeding of farm animals and poultry is one of the main factors determining their effectiveness. Modern, intensively growing crosses require high energy and protein requirements. Imbalance in these indicators leads to the lack of production. One of the mixed feed components with high energy and protein nutrition can be rape. However, it contains anti-nutrients, which limits its use. Currently, the FSBSI FRS «All-Russian Williams Fodder Research Institute» obtained rape varieties with low content of these substances. To determine their purpose, studies were conducted on spring rape varieties of the new Vikros and Novik generation. It was established that Novik rape contained more crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, as well as basic amino acids: lysine, methionine and cystine compared to the Vikros variety. Rape varietal characteristics did not significantly affect the fatty acid content. The oil was well balanced in composition: low - saturated, moderate amount of polyunsaturated and large amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. According to the existing classification, both varieties of rape by the amount of anti-nutritional substances belong to two-zero ones. Tested varieties of rape grain were included in the composition of mixed feed in the amount of 6 % by weight. Rape grain was introduced into the feed from the first day of cultivation. During the experiment period, live weight of broilers did not differ significantly. The average daily weight gain in the experimental groups was at the control level. Significant differences in the digestibility of protein and fat is not determined. Chickens from the experimental groups used nitrogen and phosphorus better, but feed costs per kg of weight gain in these groups were slightly higher than in the control group.