ROLE OF SOAP FORMATION IN UTILIZATION OF FULL-FAT CANOLA BY LAYING HENS

Abstract

Laying hens (35 w old) were offered diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20% full-fat canola over an 8-wk period. There were no significant effects of the dietary treatments on egg production, egg weight or egg shell quality (P > 0.05). Although laying hens fed each of the diets consumed similar quantities of feed (P > 0.05), birds consuming diets containing 15 or 20% full-fat canola gained less weight compared to birds fed lower levels of full-fat canola (P < 0.01). There was no difference among treatments for apparent retention of nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus or magnesium (P > 0.05) However there was a decrease in both fat retention and energy utilization with an increase in dietary level of full-fat canola (P < 0.01). There was no difference in the fat content of the eggs as affected by the dietary treatments and with the exception of a decrease in proportion of palmitic acid (P < 0.05) and increase of linolenic acid (P < 0.05) increased inclusion of full-fat canola had little effect on egg fatty acid content. There was no significant effect on the dietary treatments on bone ash and bone mineral content. These data suggest that while high levels of full-fat canola have little effect on performance during short-term studies, there is concern of the birds' ability to digest canola lipids. Key words: Full-fat canola, laying hen, bone mineralization