Treatment of low-tannin sorghum grain for broiler feed

Abstract

A low-tannin grain sorghum was processed and formulated into 20 diets used in 2 trials to determine nutritional value of the grain. Sixteen hundred and forty newly-hatched broiler chicks were used in the feed study. Processing variables of the grain included the addition of α-amylase, β-glucanase, an enzyme blend (pigase) containing amylases, proteinases and cellulases, the treatment of abraded grain with gibberellic acid (GA3) and reconstituted grain (high-moisture storage).Feed consumption for Trial 1 was significantly greater (P < 0.05) for chicks fed the enzyme blend (pigase) and GA3 (no bran) diets than for the GA3 diet with bran. There was no statistically significant difference in body weight, and feed efficiencies for the diets of Trial 1 were not significantly different from each other (P > 0.05).Trial 2 for 21-day-old chicks showed that the pelleted corn diet produced significantly higher body weight and significantly more feed consumed (P < 0.05) than any of the other diets. Feed efficiency was significantly lower (P < 0.05) for the pelleted corn diet. The remaining diets showed no statistically significant differences. After 28 days, the diet containing sorghum grain reconstituted for 21 days produced significantly lower body weights in the chicks. Generally, body weight was higher with the corn diets than with the untreated sorghum diets, and lowest with the reconstituted grain diets. The pelleted grain diets produced higher body weight than the same grain milled. Results show a reduction in tannin levels for the reconstituted low-tannin sorghum comparable to similar results obtained by other workers for high-tannin sorghum.