title: Comparison of performance and intestinal characteristics of broiler chickens fed on diets containing whole, rolled or ground barley.
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 significantly higher weight gain than ground barley diets; this was attributable to the significantly higher food consumption. Gizzard weight as a percentage of live weight increased (P < 0.05) when whole barley was fed, while food: gain ratio was not significantly (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.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural University of Norway, As, Norway.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Svihus
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Herstad
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002432:Cecum / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D003106:Colon / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D005895:Gizzard, Avian / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001467:Hordeum; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D015430:Weight Gain