TRITICALE AS A POTENTIAL COMPONENT OF CHICK RATIONS

Abstract

A new grain, Triticale, (a synthesized hexaploid species combining the genomes of Triticum durum and Secale cereale) was tested as the principal ingredient in a chick starter ration. On a pound-for-pound basis Triticale was approximately equal to hard spring wheat in nutritive value for chicks as judged by growth, efficiency of feed utilization and ration metabohzable energy. Supplementation of a 17.5 per cent protein, Triticale ration with glycine, DL-methionine and/or L-lysine showed lysine to be the most limiting amino acid for chicks. A similar study with a 21 per cent protein ration showed that both L-lysine and DL-methionine were limiting for chick growth. The results bring to the fore the potential importance of new, synthesized plant species to animal production and, simultaneously, present an evaluation of a grain from one of these new species as a feed ingredient for chickens.

Replacement of maize by triticale in broiler diets

“…The ME values found for triticale in this experiment compare well with those reported by Avila et al (1971) and by Yaqoob and Netke (1975). For poultry, the ME values of triticale and wheat in the diet were found to be similar by other workers (Sell et al, 1962;Sell and Johnson, 1969;Bragg and Sharby, 1970;Weber et al, 1972). Shimada and Cline (1974), however, reported slightly higher values for triticale in starter diets.…”

“…Published reports on the nutritional value and metabolisable energy of triticale for broilers are relatively few. Sell et al (1962) reported that on a weight basis, triticale was approximately equal to hard spring wheat in nutritive value for chicks. Bixler et al (1968) found that triticale was comparable to rye but inferior to maize and wheat in chick starter diets.…”

The nutritive value of triticale and rye for the laying hen

“…In common with the earlier finding with other cereals these values were much higher than those obtained by the chemical method (Booth, 1971) which yielded 61-9% available lysine in triticale and 41-7% in rye. It is interesting that Sell et al (1962) and Bixler et al (1968) both attributed poor broiler performance on triticale-containing diets to low availability of lysine. Bragg and Sharby (1970) and Wilson and McNab (1975), however, found no evidence that lysine became limiting for broilers when triticale replaced wheat in their diets, a conclusion in accord with the present values for digestible lysine.…”

“…Although it has been known since the latter part of the nineteenth century, problems of sterility have delayed its commercial adoption. Recently, however, interest in triticale as an animal foodstuff has revived and assessments of its potential as a poultry feed ingredient have come from Canada (Sell et al, 1962;Bragg and Sharby, 1970) and the USA (Bixler et al, 1968). Since other animal species will be competing for triticale (Strothers and Shebeski, 1965;Knipfel, 1969;McCloy et al,, 1971;Cornejo et al, 1973;Moody, 1973) a proper evaluation on a nutritional basis for each species is essential.…”

Incorporation of triticale in layer diets

“…Apart from supplying energy, triticale contains more protein than most cereals and contains more lysine than sorghum (Shimada et al, 1971), wheat (Sell et al, 1962;Bragg and Sharby, 1970) or maize . The availability of amino acids for chicks is high (Bragg and Sharby, 1970).…”