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Research Article

Effect of covered or hulless barley addition on performance, digestibility and slaughter value of broiler chickens

Teresa Banaszkiewicz, Stanisław Laskowski, Anna Milczarek

Department of Animal Nutrion and Feed Management, Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Bolesława Prusa 14, 80-110 Siedlce, Poland

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 16(2), 2017, 9‒18
2. DOI: 10.21005/asp.2017.16.2.02

Abstract. The aim of the study was to evaluation of introduction of covered or hulless barley instead of part of wheat on rearing performance, digestibility of diets and the slaughter results of broiler chickens. The experiment (growth trial) was carried out on 126 Hubbard Flex chickens which were divided into 3 groups of 42 birds per group (7 replications with 6 chickens, 3 ♀ and 3 ♂ ). The control group (K) fed of wheat- soybean diet, whereas in the experimental diets a part of the wheat was replaced by 20% of covered barley (JO) or 20% of hulless barley (JNO). At the 42 days of age, 24 birds (4 ♀ and 4 ♂ from each group) were slaughtered and designed for slaughter analysis and partial dissection. The digestibility trial was carried out on 18 day old broilers. The digestibility coefficients of basal nutrients of diets fed in starter period were determination by total collection method. The chickens fed a diet containing covered barley characterized greater of body weight at 21 day (P  ≤  0.05) and better body weight gain in the starter period (1 to 21 days ), than received diet with hulless barley. In the grower period, the body weight and body weight gain in groups become even. Similarly results obtained also for whole fattening period. The feed efficiency in each period of rearing of chickens was similarly. The dry matter and N-free-extractives the chickens digested significantly better (P  ≤  0.05) from diet containing hulless barley, however the crude protein and crude fat from control diet. There were no significant differences between the groups in the digestibility of crude ash and phosphorus. The introduction of 20% hulless barley to the diet significantly (P  ≤  0.05) decrease slaughter yield, however increase the share of skin with subcutaneous fat in the carcass, in relation to the chickens fed diet containing covered barley. The use of 20% of both barley (covered and hulless) has not significantly effect on musculature of chickens. Fatty acid composition of lipid fraction of breast muscle was similar in groups except of mirystooleic and behenic acid, which were significantly higher (P  ≤  0.05) in breast muscle of chickens fed with diet containing 20% ​​ hulless barley. The better palatability characterized breast muscle of chickens fed diet containing hulless barley. On the body weight, body weight gain, slaughter yield and fatness account of chickens, the better profitable was covered barley , whereas on the quality of meat was hulless barley.

Keywords: broiler chickens, barley, performance, digestibility, slaughter results, meat quality