Use extruded rapeseed meal in the feed of broiler chickens.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of extruded rapeseed meal in the diet on broiler performance. Chickens of Ross 398 hybrid were used in the trial. The trial lasted 42 days. Rape seed meal was extruded prior to use and included in the diet at the level of 4% (group 2) and 8% (group 3), and control group of chickens (group 1) fed the standard mixture based on corn, soybean meal and soybean grits. Chickens of the control group scored the highest ranking and realized the final body mass of 2212 g, whereas the chickens of group 2 had the final body mass of 2191 g, and chickens of group 3 with final body mass of 2148 g were the worst. Falling behind of the trial groups in relation to the control group in regard to the body mass at the end of the trial was by 0,91% group 2 and by 2,89% for group 3. Feed conversion ratio was the best in group 2, followed by control group, and the worst was the group 3 (1,882; 1,866; 1,894, respectively). The lowest mortality rate was realized by chickens of the control group, followed by group 2 and group 3 (4,00%; 4,33%; 5,33%, respectively). The control group of chickens had the best production index value, followed by group 2 and the lowest value of the production index was established for chickens of group 3 (270,95; 265,18; 255,63, respectively). It can be observed that the depression in trial groups was within the limits of toleration, which indicates that extruded rapeseed meal can be included in the diets for fattening chickens in ratio up to 10%.