Determination of Chemical Composition and Metabolisable Energy of Germinated Barley in Broiler Chickens

This experiment was conducted to measure chemical composition and metabolisable energy of germinated barley (GB) in broiler chickens. For this purpose, chemical composition of barley and GB was determined and then four experimental treatments consist of a barley basal diet and replacing 33, 66 and 100 percent of GB in the basal barley diet was prepared. Apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) was determined by total excreta collection and chromic oxide marker methods. Results indicated GB had higher gross energy (4132 vs 4065 kcal/kg) and crude protein (11.81 vs 10.78 percent) and lower β-glucan (1.053 vs 3.18 percent) than barley. Higher replacing GB in the barley basal diet led to increase of AME and AMEn in both of methods, but it was significant for marker chromic oxide method (P<0.05). The metabolisable energy for GB was determined by regression method. The AME value of GB by total excreta collection and chromic oxide methods was 3315.05 and 3107.95 kcal/kg, and the AMEn value for GB was 3304.63 and 3110.95 kcal/kg for those methods resppectively.