The effect of glucosinolate fraction concentrations in rapeseed meal on daily protein deposition in the body and on internal organ weights of growing pigs

Thirty-five gilts weighing 25 kg were divided into five groups and until reaching 70 kg fed with isoenergetic diets based on cereals and rapeseed meal differing in the content of glucosinolate fractions. Daily protein deposition in the body, weight of thyroid glands, liver, kidneys, and T-3 and T-4 hormone levels in the blood were measured as affected by the concentration of alkenyl- (alk-) and indole- (ind-) glucosinolates (GL). Daily protein deposition in the body decreased (by 8.5%, statistically nonsignificant), but the weight of internal organs increased (thyroid glands by 210%, P <0.001; liver by 50%, P <0.01, and kidneys by 17%, P <0.05) as the alk- and ind-GL concentration in the diets rose (from 0.52 to 2.10 and from 0.17 to 0.40 mmoles kg(-1), respectively). The correlation coefficients (partial) indicated that the concentration of ind- had a greater influence on weight of internal organs than alk-GL. Indole- and alkenyl-glucosinolates had a similar effect on the level of T-3 and T-4 hormones in the blood, but did not influence protein deposition.