Re: Switching from growers to layers

"Ute Bohnsack" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> Krys Francis wrote:
> [snip]
> > >Curiosity has me...why shouldn't chickens get barley?
> >
> > Chickens don't have the enzyme necessary to digest barley, waterfowl do.
> > I've read more recently in a research paper, that feeding barley to
> > chickens leads to high viscosity in the intestines reducing nutrient
> > uptake. So it may be that apart from getting little from the barley as I
> > had initially thought, barley may actually be bad for chickens.
> > Barley & wheat are usually the cheapest grains available in UK & wheat,
> > at least, often makes up a large part of pellet & mash feeds. Barley is
> > sometimes an ingredient too but then the enzyme needed for digestion is
> > also added to the feed. In a scratch grain feed I can't see that the
> > enzyme would be added, but I could be wrong.
>
> > Regards
> >
> > Krys
> > www.lluestfarmpoultry.co.uk
>
> I have heard that before but I also have a 1999 Livestock Nutrition
> Textbook here which states that barley may be used as the sole grain
> component in a ration for layers  but that it would be prudent not to
> use it at more than 40-50% for the reasons you give (leads to more dirty
> eggs) unless beta-Glucanase is added to the feed (i.e. said enzyme).
> For growing birds the limit is given as max 10-20% unless beta-Glucanase
> is added.
>
> Conflicting advise...

indeed
and as its cheap what is to stop the feed manufacturers using it without
bothering with the expensive additive - who is to know ????
none of these things are required to be declared
certainly not in the UK
we only ever have someone's say so if we bother to phone
- the nutritionist often only advises
- the lassy on the phone reads what she is given
- rarely does one come up to the person who is responsible for what goes in
the bag - and understands what you are saying

its a shame - and after BSE when the feed merchants destroyed so much of Bri
tish - let alone other countries agriculture you would have thought we had
moved on but - look at your bags of feed
what out of one hundred per cent is accounted for ??
what of the trace elements; vitamins and minerals -- compare to the box of
your breakfast cereal for instance - is accounted for

--
regards
Jill Bowis
new for Christmas http://www.animalgiftshop.co.uk - hand quilted cushions
Pure bred utility chickens and ducks; Housing; Books
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
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http://www.kintaline.co.uk
>
> Cheers,
> Ute