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Comparison of performance and intestinal characteristics of broiler chickens fed on diets containing whole,rolled or ground barley |
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| Authors: | B Svihus O Herstad C W Newman R K Newman |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Animal Science , Agricultural University of Norway , PO Box 5025, As, N‐1432, Norway;2. Agricultural University of Norway , ?s, Norway;3. Department of Plant, Soil and Environmental Science , Montana State University , Bozeman, USA |
| Abstract: | 1. In two experiments, no consistent differences in weight gain or food intake appeared between broiler chickens given diets based on whole or rolled barley, but food: gain ratio and gizzard weight as a percentage of live weight were reduced (P<0.05) when barley was rolled. Grit addition did not affect performance or intestinal characteristics. 2. In a third experiment, whole barley diets gave significandy higher weight gain than ground barley diets; this was attributable to the significandy higher food consumption. Gizzard weight as a percentage of live weight increased (P< 0.05) when whole barley was fed, while foodrgain ratio was not significandy (P>0.05) affected by the form of barley. 3. The number of particles in the intestinal contents with sizes larger than 2.4 mm was not significantly (P<0.05) different between broiler chickens fed on whole barley and those fed ground barley, but the number of particles with sizes between 2.4 and 0.7 mm was lower (P< 0.05) when diets with whole barley were fed. 4. Enzyme addition increased (P< 0.05) weight gain and the DM of intestinal contents, and decreased (P<0.05) intestinal viscosity, food:gain ratio and pancreas weight as a percentage of live weight regardless of form of the barley. |
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