Abstract
A new variety of naked barley containing high protein and high lysine (HP-naked barley) was developed in the Shikoku Agricultural Experiment Station in Kagawa prefecture. The HP-naked barley was analyzed for the proximate and amino acid composition. The effects of feeding level of HP-naked barley and cellulase supplementation to HP-naked barley diets on the performance of chicks were studied. All diets were prepared to meet the Jap-anese Feeding Standard for starting chicks.
Crude protein and lysine content of the naked barley were variable in different produc-tion years because of different weather condition. HP-naked barley contained 27-33% higher crude protein and 40-50% higher lysine than those of normal naked barley (Nanpuhadaka).
The inclusion of 80% (Experiment 1) to 63% (Experiment 2) of HP-naked barley as sole grain source in the diets resulted in significant decrease in body weight gain and feed ef-ficiency in comparison to the control (corn-soy diet). However, no significant decreases in body weight gain and feed efficiency were obtained by feeding the diets containing less than 50% HP-naked barley.
Supplementation of 0.1% cellulase to the naked barley diets (normal or HP-naked barley) significantly improved body weight gain and feed efficiency in growing chicks, and meta-bolyzable energy of the naked barley diets. No beneficial effects were obtained by lysine supplementation.
