Effects of non-starch polysaccharides (ß-glucan) content of hull-less barley on metabolizable energy and viscosity in cockerels

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of Non-Starch Polysaccharides (ß-Glucan) content of hull-less barley on viscosity and metabolizable energy in cockerels. A number of 44 intact and caecectomized adult cockerels were used in this study. A significant differences (p>0.05) was observed between varieties in viscosity of feed and feces. Varieties 20 (1/635 CPS) and 6 (2/505 CPS) respectively showed the minimum and maximum feed viscosity and varieties 4 (14/215 CPS) and 1 respectively had the maximum and minimum viscosity of feces. The study showed that there was a significant (p>0.05) differences between the varieties in metabolismable energy. The average of AME, AMEn, TME and TMEn of the 20 varieties were 2879/8, 2879/8, 2993/3 and 2993/3 kcal/kg respectively. Variety 2 had the minimum (2481/5, 2481/5, 2613/5, 2613/4 kcal/kg) and variety 15 had the maximum (3341/2, 3341/2, 3441/1, 3441 kcal/kg) metabolismable energy. There was no difference between the intact and cecectomised cokerols in the quantity of received ß-Glucan but the difference in metabolizable energy and fecal viscosity was significant (p>0.05) in such a manner that the intect cockerels showed more metabolismable energy values and less facal viscosity than the caecectomized adult cockerels. The results showed that there was a significant (p>0.05) differeces between hull-less barley, barley and wheat in viscosity and metabolizable energy. The viscosity of excreta from hull-less barley was more as compared to wheat (8.39 vs 4.34 cps). Metabolismable energy of wheat was greater than of hull-less barley and barley. It is concluded that hull-less barley can be used in the diet of poultry nutrition but more investigation should be paied on it in the plant breeding programs.