NUTRITIVE-VALUE OF IRRADIATED AND BETA-GLUCANASE-TREATED WILD OAT GROATS (AVENA-FATUA L) FOR BROILER-CHICKENS

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential use of wild oat groats in broiler chicken diets. Despite chemical composition (dry basis) indicating a high quality feed ingredient in terms of ash (2.3%), crude fibre (2.3%), crude fat (9.1%), crude protein (20.3%) and starch (56.7%), performance of broiler chicks fed on diets containing wild oat groats to 3 weeks of age was poor. Body weight, feed conversion and fat absorption were severely affected, and tibia ash was also significantly reduced in one experiment. These problems could be rectified by gamma irradiation (3, 6 or 9 Mrad) of wild oat groats prior to incorporation in the diet, or addition to the diet of a crude enzyme (Bacillus subtilis) containing β-glucanase activity. The component responsible for poor performance of chicks fed on untreated wild oat diets was β-glucan. Irradiation or enzyme treatment presumably reduced the viscosity of the digesta by destruction of the β-glucan. Antibiotic addition (procaine penicillin/streptomycin) had no significant effect, although there was some indication of a benefit in terms of fat absorption and feed conversion. With enzyme and antibiotic supplementation broilers given wild oat groats (20, 40 or 60% of the diet) and finished to market weight (6 weeks) performed similarly to broilers fed on wheat-based diets. © 1987.