Enzyme Supplementation of Barley Diets for Laying Hens

Abstract

HEN studies conducted at this station, Berg et al. (1956), have shown that, under the climatic conditions of western Washington, hens will lay equally well on corn and barley diets. However, barley was found to be only 82.7 percent as efficient as corn in the production of eggs. It was also noted than hens fed barley rations voided a larger volume of wetter droppings than did hens fed corn diets. Fry et al. (1957) found that water treating ground barley markedly improved the nutritional value of barley for the chick. The growth rate and feed efficiency with treated barley were practically equal to those obtained with corn. Subsequently, in the same laboratory, Jensen et al. (1957) showed that the addition of a fungal enzyme preparation to a barley ration would also improve the nutritional value of barley for chicks. Unpublished data from our laboratory have confirmed these findings and extended …