ENZYMATIC IMPROVEMENT OF BARLEY FOR CHICKS AND THE USE OF HIGH-FIBER FEEDS FOR LAYING HENS

Barley and soybean meal were used as protein and energy sources in a study of the effects of barley beta-glucan on chicks. The accumulation of fecal material on wire cage floors indicated the presence of beta-glucan in the diet. The adhesive nature of the fecal material was probably a result of the high intrinsic viscosity of the beta-glucan of barley. Larker (variety) and Steptoe (variety) barleys were steeped in water in ground or whole grain form. Chick growth was most improved by grinding prior to steeping. Larker barley produced the best growth in chick experiments.; Water-soluble polysaccharides such as guar gum and hydroxyethyl cellulose reduced gain and feed efficiency of chicks. Adhesion of fecal material to cage screens was observed. Wood cellulose and cotton cellulose produced small changes in growth and feed efficiency.; Crude cellulase from Trichoderma reesei (formerly T. viride) improved growth and reduced intestinal fluid viscosity of chicks fed barley, rye, wheat and oats. T. reesei cellulase reduced intestinal fluid viscosity of chicks fed barley beta-glucan at 2% of the diet. Beta-glucan was isolated from the intestinal fluid of chicks fed a barley diet. The number average molecular weight of this material was 48,000 daltons and the majority of the isolated beta-glucan was excluded by a polyacrylamide gel which had an exclusion limit of 60,000 daltons. The cellulase added to barley feed increased the % tibia ash of chicks.; Brewers dried grains were used as a protein supplement for laying hens. Lysine improved egg size and egg production. Egg albumen quality from birds fed brewers grains was similar to the control diet. Corn distillers grains, wheat middlings and a combination of wheat middlings and bran were used in laying hen diets. Wheat middlings was the best protein supplement of the ingredients tested. Changes in egg production suggest methionine as the second-limiting amino acid in a diet containing wheat middlings.