The low nutritional value of barley for poultry is because of the absence of an intestinal enzyme for efficient depolymerization of (1,3-1,4)-␤-glucan, the major polysaccharide of the endosperm cell walls. This leads to high viscosity in the intestine, limited nutrient uptake, decreased growth rate, and unhygienic sticky droppings adhering to chickens and floors of the production cages. Consequently, the 7.5 billion broiler chickens produced annually in the United States are primarily raised on corn-soybean diets. Here we show that addition to normal barley of 6.2% transgenic malt containing a thermotolerant (1,3-1,4)-␤-glucanase (4.28 g⅐g ؊1 soluble protein) provides a weight gain equivalent to corn diets. The number of birds with adhering sticky droppings is drastically reduced. Intestines and excrements of chickens fed the barley control diet contained large amounts of soluble (1,3-1,4)-␤-glucan, which was reduced by 75 and 50%, respectively, by adding transgenic malt to the diet. The amount of active recombinant enzyme in the small intestine corresponded to that present in the feed, whereas an 11-fold concentration of the enzyme was observed in the ceca, and a 7.5-fold concentration occurred in the excrement. Glycosylation of the ␤-glucanase isolated from the ceca testified to its origin from the transgenic barley. Analysis of the data from this trial demonstrates the possibility of introducing individual recombinant enzymes into various parts of the gastrointestinal tract of chickens with transgenic malt and thereby the possibility of evaluating their effect on the metabolism of a given ingredient targeted by the enzyme.

. 1998. Variation in chemical composition and nutritional quality among barley cultivars for ruminants. 1. Steer finishing performance, diet digestibilities and carcass characteristics. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 78: 369-375. Inherent variability in chemical composition and nutritional value exists among barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars due to year grown, head morphology, growth habit and intended end use. Two trials were conducted to identify causal factors for variability among barley cultivars in animal performance, carcass characteristics, diet digestibility and digestible energy (DE) content. In feedlot trials, 144 large-frame beef steers (380 ± 1.6 kg in Trial 1, 372 ± 0.8 kg in Trial 2) were assigned within three weight blocks, eight to a pen, in a randomized complete block design and pens to treatments. Steers were fed a diet of 83% steam-rolled barley (Andre, Camelot, Clark, Cougbar, Harrington or Steptoe for 123 d in Trial 1; Boyer, Camelot, Clark, Harrington, Hesk or Steptoe for 119 d in Trial 2), 10% silage (wheat in Trial 1, oat in Trial 2), and 7% supplement on a dry matter (DM) basis. In Trial 1, Cougbar neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility was significantly lower than Clark. Digestibility of other nutrients tended to be lowest for steers fed Cougbar and as a result, diet DE was lower (P < 0.05) for Cougbar than for Clark and Camelot. Diet DE and NDF digestibility were correlated (r = 0.69; P < 0.0001). Lower nutrient utilization by steers fed Cougbar resulted in lower performance. In Trial 2, steers fed Hesk had a poorer (P < 0.05) ratio of feed to gain than steers fed Camelot and Harrington and lower (P < 0.05) digestibility than steers fed Steptoe. In summary, data from these trials suggest that Cougbar and Steptoe are of lower nutritional value than other cultivars under the conditions of these studies. In these studies, digestibility of NDF was a major factor contributing to differences among cultivars. , que ce soit dû à l'année de production, à la morphologie de l'épi, au type de croissance ou à l'utilisation prévue du grain. Deux essais en parc d'engraissement ont été réalisés pour identifier les facteurs en cause de cette variabilité, relativement aux performances zootechniques, aux caractères de carcasse, à la digestibilité de l'aliment et au contenu en ED. Centquarante-quatre bouvillons à viande de grand format (380 ± 1,6 kg dans l'essai 1 et 372 ± 0,8 kg dans l'essai 2) étaient répartis selon trois classes de poids entre les traitements à raison de 8 animaux par parquet selon un dispositif en blocs aléatoires complets. Les bouvillons recevaient un régime composé, en m.s., de 83 % d'orge aplatie à la vapeur, soit les cultivars Andre, Camelot, Clark, Cougbar, Harrington ou Steptoe pendant 123 j dans l'essai 1 et Boyer, Camelot, Clark, Harrington, Hest ou Steptoe pendant 119 j dans l'essai 2, de 10 % d'ensilage (blé dans l'essai 1, avoine dans l'essai 2) et de 7 % de complément. Dans l'essai 1, la digestibilité de la FDN de Cougbar était significativement inférieure à celle de Clark. ...

As part of a project to determine if newborn piglets contain less than optimal amounts of carnitine, the carnitine and acylcarnitine content of colostrum, milk and serum of sows and of serum, liver, heart and muscle of newborn and 2-day-old piglets was measured. Colostrum contained high amounts (370 nmol/ml) total carnitine, with greater than 95% being acylated. The principal acylcarnitines (approx. 45% each) were acetyl- and isovalerylcarnitine . In contrast, serum from lactating or nonpregnant nonlactating sows and from piglets all contained primarily free carnitine and some acetylcarnitine but only traces of isovalerylcarnitine . At birth, the blood and liver of piglets contained very low amounts of total carnitine, which increased two- and fourfold, respectively, after 2 days of suckling. These data show that newborn piglet liver and blood are carnitine poor and indicate that the high levels in colostrum and milk are a source of tissue carnitine. The large amounts of acetyl- and isovalerylcarnitine in colostrum and milk might facilitate secretion of available carnitine.

One balance trial and two pair-feeding experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding raw small red beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) on dietary protein utilization, organ weights, pancreatic enzyme activities, blood variables and weight gain of young pigs. In the balance trial, the substitution of 5 and 15% raw beans for soybean meal and cornstarch in the semipurified diet depressed apparent digestibilities of crude protein, total S and all individual amino acids measured. Urinary excretion of N and sulfate was increased and N retention was decreased. Pigs fed a semipurified diet containing 15% raw red beans in one pair-feeding trial gained less and had slightly larger livers and slightly smaller spleens than did pigs fed the control diet without raw beans. There was no difference in pancreas size as a percentage trypsin, chymotrypsin and amylase activities were lower in those pigs fed the raw bean diet. Pigs fed the raw bean diet also had higher serum urea and lower albumin concentrations and higher alkaline phosphatase activities and plasma Zn concentrations. Pigs fed the raw bean diet had a higher total leukocyte count, primarily because of an increase in neutrophils; eosinophil numbers were depressed. Similar results were obtained in the other pair-feeding trial with pigs fed a practical corn-soybean meal diet with or without 15% raw beans; however, leukocyte numbers and differential counts were affected only slightly by the feeding of raw beans. Pancreatic size of pigs fed raw beans was decreased in this trial. The inclusion of raw red beans in the diet for young pigs did not cause pancreatic enlargement as it does in the rat or chick. The feeding of raw red beans decreased protein digestibility and appeared to interfere with systemic protein utilization.