Department of Veterinary Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Science Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-30, India
Five complete diets were formulated using 1. groundnut cake (control) 2. raw rape seed meal (RSM) 3. CuSO4 (0.5%) treated RSM 4. Pressure cooked (30min, ISpsi, 121°C) RSM and 5. CuSO4 (0.5%) + Pressure cooked (15min, ISpsi, 121”C) RSM and fed to 30 Deccani ram lambs (4–5 months), 6 in each group in a growth cum metabolic experiment. The DMI per 100 kg B.wt. was significantly (P<0.05) different among diets. The DCP and TDN contents were higher (P<0.05) on diet containing pressure-cooked RSM compared to others. The ADG was higher (P<0.05) on diet 1 (control) and 4 (containing pressure-cooked RSM) compared to other diets, which were at par. The feed intake/kg gain and cost of feed/kg gain were significantly (P<0.05) lower on diet containing pressure-cooked rapeseed meal. These results indicated that pressure-cooking of RSM was ideal method for detoxifying RSM. The animals fed on diet 4 containing pressure-cooked RSM recorded better nutrient utilization and growth comparable to that of control diet.
Rapeseed meal, pressure-cooking, copper sulphate, complete diet, average daily gain, nutritive value
