The use of exogenous enzyme supplementation in hulless barley based diets for laying hens
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Date
2001-06-01T00:00:00Z
Authors
Nortey, Thomas Nii Narku
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Abstract
In experiment 1, five diets formulated from wheat and four hulless barley (Silky, Falcon, Gainer and Dawn) cultivars were fed to two strains of hens (Hyline W36 and Dekalb Sigma) to measure production performance. Results showed that the hulless barley cultivars Silky, Gainer and Dawn can effectively replace wheat without any loss of egg mass, while all four hulless barley cultivars can replace wheat without any effect on feed efficiency or feed intake. In experiment 2, each of the diets in trial one, were formulated either with or without an exogenous enzyme cocktail and fed to Shaver White laying hens. Results showed that enzyme supplementation resulted in significant improvements (P < 0.05) in egg mass and feed efficiency, and small insignificant increases in egg production and egg weight over hens fed the unsupplemented diets. For experiment 3, the dietary levels of some major nutrients (P, lysine and methionine) were lowered by up to 10% in the presence of appropriate exogenous enzymes and fed to laying hens. The results showed that, compared to a regular diet (without exogenous enzymes) feeding reduced levels of P, lysine and methionine in the presence of exogenous enzymes, did not result in any significant reduction (P > 0.05) in egg production, egg mass and feed efficiency. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)