EFFECTS OF COLOR ON CONSUMPTION OF BROILER DIETS CONTAINING RAPESEED MEAL AND RAPESEED
Six hundred and seventy-two 1-day-old male broiler chicks of two strains were used to assess the effects of diet and color of diet on feed consumption. Isocaloric isonitrogenous diets that contained soybean meal (control), rapeseed meal, or ground rapeseed were fed in either colored or noncolored form. During the starter period the birds were given a choice of two diets in various combinations whereas during the grower period no choice was available. In the starter period there were no significant effects of color or diet combinations on total feed consumption. Coloring one diet of a pair, however, tended to increase the difference in consumption between the two by reducing the intake of the colored diet. The one exception to this was the diet pair containing ground rapeseed, which was not affected when one diet was colored. The control diet was preferred, followed by the diets containing rapeseed meal and ground rapeseed, respectively, when a choice was available. When no choice of diet was available in the grower period the only significant effect of color was to increase consumption of the ground rapeseed-containing diet. Weight gain in both periods was highest on the control diet followed by the diets containing rapeseed meal and ground rapeseed, respectively.