effect of rapeseed oil on performance and carcass characteristics of holstein male calves

twenty-four holstein male calves (bw=217±57kg) were employed to evaluate the effects of rapeseed oil supplementation on growth, carcass as well as on meat quality and fatty acid content of longissimus thoracis muscle in a completely randomized design. the calves were divided into three groups and allocated to three diets of: a corn/barley-based diet (c); a diet containing 2% (dm basis) rapeseed oil (lc); and one containing 4% (dm basis) rapeseed oil (hc). feed offered was recorded daily, the calves were weighed monthly and slaughtered after 4 months of trial. the obtained data indicated that dry matter intake was greater for steers fed c diet than for those fed lc and hc (p0.05) in carcass readings except for back fat in which calves fed the hc diet had more back fat as compared to those fed the c diet. there were significant differences observed in meat quality of longissimus thoracis muscle, i. e. the ether extract was significantly increased (p0.05). fatty acid composition was affected by treatments, feeding lc and hc diets increased (p