AbstractRapeseed meal is a high protein‐containing material that can be used as a feed for livestock and poultry. Typical meal contains a little less than 40% of protein; however it also contains about 12% crude fiber and glucosinolates, specific components ofCruciferae plants. Thus it is not very popular as a protein component of high quality feed mixtures for animals, and is used mostly in ruminant feeding. The protein value of rapeseed meal is higher than that of the majority of other vegetable proteins containing both lysine and sulphur amino acids. The amino acids of isolated rapeseed protein have been shown to be similar in composition to those of soybean protein, and present in higher concentrations. Rapeseed meal, in comparison with other vegetable oil seed meals, has a relatively high content of crude fiber, lowering its value as a feed component for nonruminants and especially for poultry. The amounts of minerals Ca and P of the vitamin niacin and of choline are rather high, exceeding the amounts of these components in other valuable oil meals, i.e., soybean or sunflower. Glucosinolate derivatives occurring in rapeseed meal are goitrogenic, causing considerable changes in thyroid from initial feeding. This has a negative effect on the biological value of rapeseed as a feed component and as evidenced, among other symptoms, by slower growth of young animals and their utilization of protein. These effects are especially evident in thein the feeding of growing chickens particularly when a protein deficiency exists in the diet. The presence of glucosinolates in feed has not as yet been demonstrated definitely to have a negative effect on the nutritive value of meat and eggs. Penetration and accumulation have not been found in those products. Glucosinolates and their derivatives such as L‐5‐vinyl‐2‐oxazolidinethione and isothiocyanates are not transmitted to the milk, although the thiocyanates content of milk evidently increases when cows are fed rapeseed meal. Goitrogenic symptoms have not been detected by consumption of this milk type. In the near future, the elimination of factors limiting the feeding value of rapeseed meal, such as glucosinolates and crude fiber, through breeding of new strains of rapeseeds, will permit their use in high quality protein mixtures not only for ruminant feeding but also in poultry and swine rations.