IMPROVED FEEDING VALUE OF SASKATCHEWAN-GROWN BARLEY FOR BROILER CHICKENS WITH DIETARY ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION

Abstract

Nine barley samples representative of cultivars grown throughout Saskatchewan were fed with dietary β-glucanase supplementation (Aspergillus niger) as mixed feed to broiler chickens. Experiment 1 compared barley diets with or without enzyme addition for broilers from 0 to 21 d, while exp. 2 involved comparison of broiler performance to market weight (0–42 d) when fed enzyme-supplemented barley diets or a wheat/corn-based diet. In exp. 1, chicks fed barley diets with the enzyme additive gained more weight and converted feed more efficiently than those given diets without the enzyme (P < 0.01). Variability among barley diets, as indicated by chick growth and feed efficiency, was reduced by the addition of the enzyme. In exp. 2, broilers consuming barley with dietary enzyme were lighter than their wheat/corn-fed counterparts at 21 and 42 d (P < 0.05). Body weight gain from 21 to 42 d was not significantly affected by dietary treatment. Feed-to-gain ratio was higher for barley-fed broilers (P < 0.05) in comparison to birds fed the wheat/corn diet, reflecting the lower nutrient density of the barley diets. Key words: Broiler chickens, barley, β-glucanase