STUDIES ON THE USE OF HULLESS BARLEY IN CHICK DIETS: DELETERIOUS EFFECTS AND METHODS OF ALLEVIATION

Abstract

The true metabolizable energy value of hulless barley was found to be significantly higher than for hulled barley and similar to that of wheat for adult roosters. Substitution of hulless barley for wheat in broiler chick diets resulted in a significant linear depression of 3-wk weight, tibia ash, fat absorption and starch absorption. Addition of cellulase, antibiotic or irradiation of the grain increased the growth rate of the chicks receiving the hulless barley. All the treatments significantly increased fat absorption, but starch absorption was increased significantly only by enzyme addition. Tibia ash was increased significantly by addition of antibiotic. Autoclaving the hulless barley significantly reduced 3-wk weight and increased feed:gain ratio for the birds. Neither row type (two-rowed or six-rowed varieties) nor kernel hardness of the barley influenced chick growth on the hulless barley diets. Gamma irradiation or cellulase addition reduced the viscosity of the β-glucan solution indicating that these treatments may have increased the nutritional value of the hulless barley by depolymerization of the β-glucan. Key words: Barley (hulless), (β-glucan, gamma irradiation, enzyme supplementation, chicks