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Quiniou, N., Quinsac, A., Crepon, K., Evrard, J., Peyronnet, C., Bourdillon, A., Royer, E. and Etienne, M. 2012. Effects of feeding 10% rapeseed meal (Brassica napus) during gestation and lactation over three reproductive cycles on the performance of hyperprolific sows and their litters. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 513-524. Largely due to increased production of biodiesel, there is a greater availability of solvent-extracted rapeseed meal (RM) in France, making it competitive for feeding pigs. Nevertheless, the long-term effects of dietary glucosinolates (GSL) when feeding RM on sow reproductive and litter performance are a persistent concern to feed manufacturers. Four batches of 24 hyperprolific sows were fed to evaluate the effects of including 0 or 10% RM [14.5 mu mol GLS g(-1) dry matter (DM) basis] in the gestation and lactation diets over three reproductive cycles. Intake of dietary GLS remained below 5 mmol d(-1) over the gestation period and averaged 8 mmol d(-1) over the lactation period, corresponding to less than 2 mu mol GLS g(-1) DM basis. Lactation feed intake, sow body weight and backfat, and the length of the weaning-to-estrus interval were not different (P > 0.05) between treatment groups. Sows fed diets with 10% or no RM farrowed 43.6 and 43.8 piglets over three reproductive cycles, respectively (P > 0.10). Piglet weight at birth or weaning, survival and litter weight gain were not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary RM inclusion. Similar (P > 0.05) plasma thyroxin levels of sows and piglets indicated that thyroid function was not altered by RM inclusion. In conclusion, feeding gestation and lactation diets including 10% RM to hyper prolific sows over three parities was safe and did not affect sow longevity, reproductive or litter performance

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