Moisture Barley Research Articles

Severity of Rolling Reconstituted High Moisture Barley on Ensiling Characteristics and In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation

Barley grain sources with variable kernel sizes makes adequate and consistent processing of kernels challenging. This study evaluated how the severity of processing for reconstituted high moisture (65% on DM basis) barley (RHB) affects ensiling characteristics and in vitro ruminal fermentation. Three independent sources of light (<630 g/500 mL) and heavy (>670 g/500 mL) barley were blended to create 4 sources of variable kernel sized barley (646 g/500 mL). Reconstituted barley was rolled through a roller gap width of 1.40 (RHBF), 1.86 (RHBM), or 2.31 mm (RHBC) and ensiled for 1 or 5 mo with dry rolled barley (DRB; roller gap width 1.86 mm) used as a control. The 1-mo RHB and the DRB were further evaluated using the artificial rumen technique (RUSITEC) to investigate the effects of severity of processing for RHB on ruminal fermentation, and gas, methane, and microbial protein production. Using a randomized complete block design (n = 4), 16 fermenters from 2 RUSITEC apparatuses were used to assess the 4 sources and 4 processing treatments. The addition of water increased kernel width before rolling and resulted in increased kernel length, width, and thickness for RHB relative to dry rolled barley. Increasing processing severity for RHB linearly increased kernel width. The percentage of fine particles (<1.18 mm) was greater for DRB than RHBF, but did not differ by processing severity for RHB. Dry matter, organic matter, and starch disappearance were not different between DRB and RHBF, but linearly increased with increasing processing severity for RHB. Fermenter pH tended to be less for DRB relative to RHBF. In conclusion, the reduction in fine particles with the addition of water for RHB may prevent a decline in fermenter pH and when processed to achieve the same PI using a smaller roller gap width, yielded similar DM and OM disappearance suggesting a lesser risk for low ruminal pH without compromising digestibility.

242 Performance response of piglets to acid-preserved high moisture wheat or barley as an alternative to in-feed acidification

242 Performance response of piglets to acid-preserved high moisture wheat or barley as an alternative to in-feed acidification

Combined moist airtight storage and feed fermentation of barley by the yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus and a lactic acid bacteria consortium.

This study combined moist airtight storage of moist grain with pig feed fermentation. Starter cultures with the potential to facilitate both technologies were added to airtight stored moist crimped cereal grain, and the impact on storage microflora and the quality of feed fermentations generated from the grain was investigated. Four treatments were compared: three based on moist barley, either un-inoculated (M), inoculated with Wickerhamomyces anomalus (W), or inoculated with W. anomalus and LAB starter culture, containing Pediococcus acidilactici DSM 16243, Pediococcus pentosaceus DSM 12834 and Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 12837 (WLAB); and one treatment based on dried barley (D). After 6 weeks of storage, four feed fermentations FM, FW, FWLAB, and FD, were initiated from M, W, WLAB, and D, respectively, by mixing the grain with water to a dry matter content of 30%. Each treatment was fermented in batch initially for 7 days and then kept in a continuous mode by adding new feed daily with 50% back-slop. During the 6 week storage period, the average water activity decreased in M, W and WLAB from 0.96 to 0.85, and cereal pH decreased from approximately 6.0 at harvest to 4.5. Feed fermentation conferred a further pH decrease to 3.8–4.1. In M, W and WLAB, molds and Enterobacteriaceae were mostly below detection limit, whereas both organism groups were detected in D. In fermented feed, Enterobacteriaceae were below detection limit in almost all conditions. Molds were detected in FD, for most of the fermentation time in FM and at some sampling points in FW and FWLAB. Starter organisms, especially W. anomalus and L. plantarum comprised a considerable proportion of the yeast and LAB populations, respectively, in both stored grain and fermented feed. However, autochthonous Pichia kudriavzevii and Kazachstania exigua partially dominated the yeast populations in stored grain and fermented feed, respectively.

Microbial changes during storage of moist crimped cereal barley grain under Swedish farm conditions

This study investigated feed hygiene during airtight storage of non-dried barley grain under farm conditions. Microorganisms on the grain were sampled and quantified in seven Swedish farms throughout the storage period using culture dependent methods. The dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts were identified by rRNA gene sequencing and moulds by morphological characterisation. Moisture content (MC) and pH of the grain were also monitored. It was difficult to obtain the optimal MC (0.30–0.45 g/g) that is necessary to initiate fermentation in the grain. Feed hygiene was maintained during storage of cereals when MC below 0.17 g/g. Intermediate MC (0.17–0.23 g/g) of the grains was conducive to mould growth, including growth of potential producers of mycotoxins, which can diminish feed safety and nutritional value. Enterobacteriaceae were found in all barleys, even at low MC, but their numbers were substantially decreased when the number of LAB was high. True fermentation of moist crimped cereal grains was only obtained on one farm with an initial barley MC of 0.3 g/g. Here, LAB reached high numbers during storage, whereas numbers of spoilage microorganisms that may reduce feed hygiene decreased considerably. However, the pH of the barley did not differ among farms. Storage stability in airtight stored barley may thus be the result of low oxygen tension, viz. airtight storage, and competition for nutrients by the microorganisms, rather than formation of lactic acid. At harvest, Enterococcus caccae dominated the LAB population in five barleys and Lactobacillus fermentum at the remaining two. The dominant yeast species were Aureobasidium pullulans, Cryptococcus wieringae, Kazachstania aerobia and Rhodotorula glutinis. After storage, L. fermentum was dominant among the LAB. The yeast species composition was highly diverse and differed among barleys. Among others, C. wieringae, Debaryomyces hansenii, K. aerobia, R. glutinis and Sporobolomyces ruberrimus were detected. This study shows that the microbial population in airtight stored moist barley is highly diverse and not predictable. Thus, it may be necessary to influence the microbial population in the storage system by adding a starter culture.

The effect of replacing brewers' grains with barley tea grounds in total mixed ration silage on feed intake, digestibility and ruminal fermentation in wethers

ABSTRACTFour wethers were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square to study the feed intake, apparent digestibility, nitrogen balance and ruminal fermentation characteristics when fed total mixed ration (TMR) silages which included wet barley tea grounds (WBTG). The TMR silages were prepared using compound feed including wet brewers' grains (WBG), corn, oat hay, alfalfa hay, dried beet pulp, salt and vitamin‐mineral supplement in a ratio of 30.7:15:8:24:10:12:0.15:0.15, respectively, on a dry matter (DM) basis. The WBTG and soybean meal mixture (7:3 on DM basis) were substituted for WBG at ratio of 0% (Control), 5% (LTG), 10% (MTG), and 15% (HTG) on DM of TMR. WBTG addition to the TMR silages increased lactic acid concentration, decreased pH, acetic acid and ammonia‐N (P &lt; 0.001). Feed intakes and digestibilities for LTG and MTG (except ether extract (EE) digestibility) treatments were not different from the control (P &gt; 0.05). However, EE and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake, crude protein, EE and NDF digestibility was lower, but the DM and gross energy digestibility was higher for the HTG treatment compared to control (P &lt; 0.01). With progressive increases in WBTG concentrations, nitrogen intake, fecal nitrogen and retention nitrogen did not differ, but the urinary nitrogen for MTG and HTG treatments were lower than that of the control (P = 0.001). The ruminal total volatile fatty acid concentration and the molar ratios of propionate and butyrate were higher, but the acetate, ratio of acetate to propionate and ammonia‐N content were lower for the HTG treatment compared with the control (P &lt; 0.05). Therefore, the possible proportion of replacing WBG with WBTG for TMR silage can be 10% or less of the diet DM.

Effect of ethanol in feed on milk flavor and chemical composition.

A crossover study was performed using 24 dairy cows to investigate whether pure ethanol in concentrations that could be found in well-fermented silages influenced milk composition or flavor. Cows were fed a standard ration of well-fermented grass silage for ad libitum intake and high moisture barley and a protein concentrate in restricted amounts. A daily dose of ethanol (600 g) was divided into three meals/d and fed with grass silage. When cows received ethanol, milk yields decreased slightly, but milk fat and protein concentrations increased so that energy-corrected milk yield increased by 0.9 kg/d. Milk concentrations of lactose and urea decreased, concentrations of ethanol and acetone increased, concentrations of free fatty acids increased slightly, and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were unaffected. The proportion of palmitic acid in milk fat increased, and the proportion of unsaturated acids decreased. Organoleptic milk quality was reduced because of an increase in milk tainted by feed flavors. The off-flavor could not be attributed solely to the ethanol transmitted to the milk. Precautions should be taken to avoid extensive production of ethanol during fermentation of grass silage and other feeds that are to be fed to dairy cows.

Effect of microbial phytase on digestibility and utilisation of phosphorus and protein in pigs fed wet barley protein with fibre

Effect of microbial phytase supplementation on apparent ileal and total tract digestibility, utilisation of phosphorus (P) and protein in wet barley protein with fibre (WBPF), a by-product of the integrated starch–ethanol process, was studied in six ileal cannulated pigs (live weight 89–120 kg). Three dietary treatments containing microbial phytase either 0, 250 or 500 FTU kg −1 dry matter (DM) were assigned using a two-period change-over design. WBPF was the sole source of P and protein in semi-purified experimental diet. WBPF phosphorus and crude protein contents were 5.4 and 237 g kg −1 DM, respectively. No inositol hexa- or pentaphosphates were found in WBPF, while only 1 g of P was in the form of inositol tetra- or triphosphates. Lysine, threonine, methionine and cystine contents in WBPF protein were 2.4, 2.8, 1.3 and 1.8 g 16 g −1 N, respectively. Microbial phytase supplementation improved apparent ileal P ( p<0.10) and calcium ( p<0.05) digestibility in WBPF diets with no effect on total tract digestibility. No significant differences were found in the degradation of phytates in WBPF at the ileal or total tract level. Phytase supplementation tended to improve apparent ileal ash digestibility ( p<0.10) and depressed that of ether extract in WBPF diets ( p<0.05). Apparent ileal and total tract P digestibility in WBPF was very high even without microbial phytase supplementation (ileal digestibility: 58.3% and total tract digestibility: 59.3%). Daily P retention was the same for all treatments. Microbial phytase supplementation had no effect on apparent ileal or total tract crude protein digestibility (means 79.5 and 83.5%, respectively) in WBPF. Apparent ileal cystine digestibility tended to decline after phytase supplementation ( p<0.10), but otherwise the amino acid digestibilities in WBPF were similar. Average apparent ileal digestibilities of lysine, threonine, methionine and cystine in WBPF were 74.1, 73.1, 83.2 and 81.6%, respectively. No differences were found in daily nitrogen retention between treatments.

Changes in extract viscosity, amino acid content, and soluble and insoluble β-glucan and dietary fibre content of barley during different high moisture storage conditions

Two experiments were conducted to investigate changes in barley during anaerobic high moisture storage of whole barley. To study the effect of micro-organisms and enzymes present in the grain, samples were irradiated or steamed prior to storage. The effects of enzyme addition and gibberellic acid addition were also investigated. When micro-organisms were not inhibited, considerable lactic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol production occurred, and the numbers of lactic acid bacteria were high. Soluble β-glucan content was lower ( P < 0.05) and dietary fibre content was reduced in the high moisture barley stored for 35 or 90 days compared with the dry control barley, regardless of pretreatments or additives. Correspondingly acid extract viscosity was also greatly ( P < 0.05) reduced. Insoluble β-glucan content was higher ( P < 0.05) in high moisture barley than in dry barley, other than when enzymes with β-glucanase activity were added to the samples. Enzyme addition enhanced fibre breakdown and reduction in acid extract viscosity, while gibberellic acid addition had no effect. Regardless of additives or pretreatments, the reduction in β-glucan content and acid extract viscosity was largest in the first days of storage, and generally only small changes occurred after the sixth day. A correlation of 0.55 to 0.81 ( P < 0.05) was found between soluble β-glucan content and acid extract viscosity, while a significant ( P < 0.05) negative correlation (−0.74 to −0.90) was found between soluble and insoluble β-glucan content. The correlation between total β-glucan content and acid extract viscosity was of the order of 0.51 to 0.63 ( P < 0.05), while the correlation between dietary fibre content and acid extract viscosity was low (0.23 to 0.33) and not significant ( P > 0.05). Amino acid content was only slightly affected by high moisture storage. These results demonstrate that high moisture storage of barley results in a rapid change in the fibre content, and that viscosity is reduced due to a reduction in soluble β-glucan content. It appears that this process is not related to activity of enzymes in the grain, or activity of lactic acid bacteria during storage.

Digestibility and availability of protein and phosphorus in pigs fed wet barley protein and wet distillers solids from integrated starch-ethanol production

The nutritive value of two high protein feeds from the integrated starch-ethanol production from barley, wet barley protein (WBP) and wet distillers solids (WDS) were studied in two experiments with pigs. In experiment 1 the apparent ileal and total tract digestibility of protein and ileal digestibility of amino acids were determined using six growing pigs fitted with a T-shaped cannula at the end of the ileum. In experiment 2 the apparent total tract digestibility and availability of protein and phosphorus were determined using nine finishing pigs. Experiments were carried out on different batches of feeds. Feeds were included in semi-purified diets as the only source of protein (experiments 1 and 2) and as the only source of phosphorus (experiment 2). WBP contained less protein and phosphorus than WDS (332 and 7.0 g kg −1 dry matter (DM) vs. 518 and 11.3 g kg −1 DM, respectively). The crude protein in WBP also contained less lysine (3.0 g 16 g −1 N) than the crude protein in WDS (3.9 g 16 g −1 N). The apparent ileal digestibility of protein and most of the amino acids were significantly higher for WBP than for WDS. The respective values were: for protein 83.6% and 79.9% ( P < 0.01), for lysine 84.7% and 80.5% ( P < 0.01), for methionine 91.6% and 85.5% ( P < 0.001), for cystine 85.1% and 79.6% ( P < 0.001) and for threonine 80.1% and 74.3% ( P < 0.01). Similarly the feeds also differed in the apparent total tract digestibility of protein. Pigs retained more nitrogen after feeding on lysine-supplemented diets containing WDS than on those containing WBP. Phosphorus availability tended to be higher for WDS diets than for WBP diets (42.3% vs. 33.2%, P < 0.10) and accordingly differed in its retention in pigs ( P < 0.05).

Wet barley distillers solids as a protein source for growing pigs

The study was conducted to evaluate the chemical composition and nutritive value of wet barley distillers solids (DS) for growing pigs. The variability in the chemical composition was assayed from ten samples of DS. The variation in chemical composition was high, dry matter (DM) ranging from 140 to 236 g kg −1, crude protein ranging from 432 to 599 g kg −1 DM and lysine ranging from 37 to 51 g (160 g N) −1. In vitro digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen was determined from DS and soyabean meal (SBM) and was found to be lower in DS than in SBM (dry matter: 0.560 vs. 0.708; nitrogen: 0.662 vs. 0.922). A growth experiment was conducted with 160 growing pigs (40 pigs in each treatment) from 25 to 105 kg live weight range. Four pigs were kept in each pen (two female and two castrated males). In four isonitrogenous and isolysineous diets, 0, 0.33, 0.66 or all SBM was replaced by DS and synthetic lysine. The daily feeding allowance was restricted to provide uniform crude protein intakes. The daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio of the pigs remained about the same when one-third of SBM was replaced by DS, but they both decreased linearly ( P < 0.001) when higher amounts of DS were added to the diets. Dietary DS also linearly decreased the content of lean in valuable cuts and in carcass ( P < 0.001). In organoleptic evaluation of meat samples no differences were found between the treatments. In conclusion, the lower performance of the pigs on DS diets was mainly a result of the high variation in chemical composition of DS, which affected the protein and amino acid supply of the pigs. The results also indicated that the quality of protein is impaired during the processing of DS.

Nutritive value of wet distillers' solubles for pigs

Digestibility and nitrogen (N) metabolism were studied to evaluate the nutritive value of wet barley distillers’ solubles (DSB) from an integrated starch-ethanol process for pigs. Eight castrated male pigs (live weight 72-103 kg) were used in a 8 x 3 cyclic change-over design, where the diets were arranged factorially 2x2. The corresponding factors were the protein source (DSB or soya bean meal (SBM)) and the protein level (131 or 162 g crude protein (CP)/kg dry matter (DM)). Faeces and urine were collected in total. The four diets comprised barley, barley starch, minerals and vitamins with either DSB or SBM as the main source of protein. The digestibility of CP(p

Control Strategies for Low Temperature In-bin Drying of Barley for Feed and Malt

A computer simulation model, which was adequately verified by comparing measured and predicted data in drying wet barley in a thin-layer batch dryer, was used to investigate low-temperature in-bin drying of barley grain for feed and malt under typical weather conditions in the Canadian prairies in North America. Drying systems with and without supplementary heat were simulated for air flow rates of 1 to 2 m3 min-1 t-1, initial grain moisture contents of 16 to 25% and harvests in August, September and October. The optimum control strategies were obtained within set bounds of drying time. grain deterioration by mould growth and storage time for viability to fall to 99%.A control strategy for drying by continuous ventilation without supplementary heat can he used to dry feed and malt barley within 30 d if the initial grain moisture content is less than 19% in August and 16% in September. Drying under other initial moisture contents and time of harvest requires supplementary heat to complete drying within 30 or 15 d. High or moderate drying air temperatures above ambient and in excess of about 30 to 40°C can significantly reduce viability and other desirable malting qualities. For such conditions, cooling the grain after drying to about 15°C with cool ambient air can greatly increase the storage life of the grain. However, it is safe to dry barley for malt in deep beds or bins for long-term storage artificially provided the drying air temperature does not exceed 25°C at relative humidities below ambient and the initial grain moisture content is not more than 22%.The drying systems with supplementary heat, by maintaining the inlet air temperature at 30 to 40°C, resulted in reduced drying time and least drying costs for feed barley, while the control strategies by increasing the ambient temperature by 5 to 10°C, or maintaining the inlet air temperature below 25°C, were the best for drying barley for malt.

Rotor Power and Losses of an Axial-Flow Combine

ABSTRACT The power required by the rotor of an axial-flow combine and the grain losses were determined for barley in a laboratory for different rotor speeds, concave clearances, helix angles of the transport vanes, feed rates, and moisture contents. Though the power was largely a function of the last three, it was prodigious for a combination of the minimum vane angle at high feed rates of high moisture barley with the minimum concave clearance. The losses were affected by the rotor speed, vane angle and feed rate, and to a lesser extent by the moisture content and the concave clearance.

Influence of processing on the site and extent of digestion of high moisture barley in cattle

Influence of processing on the site and extent of digestion of high moisture barley in cattle

Chemical and nutritional evaluation of airtight storage of high-moisture barley and high-moisture barley treated with lactobacilli or lactobacilli and yeast

Barley was harvested at moisture contents of 36, 25 and 23% and infected with storage-associated moulds. Part of each lot of barley was also treated with lactobacilli or lactobacilli and yeast before being stored in airtight pilot silos. During storage the contents of starch, crude protein and β-glucans in the nine lots of barley remained fairly constant while the solubility of these components changed, especially in the barleys with 36% moisture. Treatment of the barleys with protecting microorganisms did not, to any large extent, influence the content or solubility of crude protein, starch or mixed-linked β-glucans during storage. Barley harvested at 36% moisture had higher extract viscosity and a higher dry matter disappearance in vitro than barley harvested at 23% moisture. Airtight storage diminished extract viscosity but had little effect on dry matter disappearance in vitro. Live weight of chickens at Days 14 and 21 was not significantly influenced by type of storage (dry or airtight) or microbial protection of the airtight stored 25% moisture barley. β-Glucanase supplementation significantly increased live weight at both Days 14 and 21. Feed conversion efficiency with airtight-stored high-moisture barleys was significantly improved by β-glucanase supplementation.

EFFICACY OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA AND SULFUR DIOXIDE AS PRESERVATIVES FOR HIGH-MOISTURE GRAIN AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF BARLEY FOR GROWING-FINISHING CATTLE

The effectiveness of ammonia and sulfur dioxide as preservatives for high-moisture barley grain and their influence on digestibility, rate and efficiency of gain, and the selenium and thiamin status of feedlot steers were examined. Duplicate 18-t plastic-bag bins were prepared with the following type and amount (wt/wt, dry matter (DM) basis) of preservative applied to low (23%) or high (32%) moisture barley: (1) high-moisture barley, no preservative (control); (2) high-moisture barley, 1.1% ammonia (1.1%-NH3); (3) high-moisture barley, 2.3% ammonia (2.3%-NH3); (4) low-moisture barley, 1.3% sulfur dioxide (1.3%-LMSO2); and (5) high-moisture barley, 1.7% sulfur dioxide (1.7%-SO2). Heating occurred in the control barley. Mold and yeast populations were substantially reduced in barley treated with ammonia which appeared well preserved. Considerable deterioration occurred in the core of one 1.3%-LMSO2 bin. Crude protein digestibility was lower (P &lt; 0.001) for an all-concentrate diet containing 1.1%-NH3 barley fed whole (66.8%) than for three other diets containing rolled barley (mean 81.1%), although apparent digestibilities of other feed components were similar (P &gt; 0.05). When the preserved grains were each fed to a group of 12 steers (363 kg initial weight) along with 1.0 kg hay daily, gains were 1.46, 1.72, 1.67, 1.33 and 1.31 kg d−1 (P &lt; 0.05) for steers fed control, 1.1%-NH3, 2.3%-NH3, 1.3%-LMSO2, or 1.7%-SO2-treated barley, respectively. Corresponding kilograms of DM required per kilogram of grain were 6.11, 5.41, 5.53, 6.76, and 6.72 (P &lt; 0.05). Serum selenium concentrations and thiamin status were similar (P &gt; 0.05) for steers in all treatments at the end of the test. Key words: High-moisture barley, steers, preservatives, ammonia, sulfur dioxide

Barley Distillers Grains as a Protein Supplement for Dairy Cows

Dried distillers grains produced from a mix of 65% barley and 35% corn were evaluated in digestion and lactation experiments. Dried barley distillers grains had 56% NDF, 29% CP, 3% amino acid N, 2.5% NDIN (55% of total N), and 1.8% ADIN (39% of total N). Wet barley distillers grains had 38% NDF, 27% CP, 2.7% amino acid N, .5% NDIN (12% of total N), and .8% ADIN (19% of total N). Digestibility of DM and N was similar among lactating dairy cows fed diets containing approximately 25% corn silage DM, 15% alfalfa silage DM, 15% alfalfa hay DM, plus varying amounts of a cornbarley concentrate mix and supplemental CP from soybean meal, barley distillers grains, or from 1:1 mixture of soybean meal and barley distillers grains. Digestibility of ADIN, NDF, and ADF increased with increasing amounts of barley distillers grains in the diet. Similar diets were fed to 60 Holstein cows for 84 d in a lactation experiment. Source of supplemental protein did not affect milk production (22.5 kg/d), FCM (20.4 kg/d), milk fat percent (3.6%), or DM intake (19.0 kg/d). Milk protein percent was decreased by feeding barley distillers grains. It was concluded that barley distillers grains were an acceptable protein source for dairy cows and that ADIN and NDF might not be appropriate measures of the nutritional value of this product.

Aflatoxin Production in Moist Barley Treated with Suboptimal Doses of Formic and Propionic Acid

Abstract Spores from three strains of Aspergillus parasiticus isolated in 1986 from acid treated grain were inoculated into newly harvested moist barley with the following treatments (I) propionic acid 0.3% by weight, (II) formic acid 0.5% by weight, (III) formic acid 0.5% and ethoxyquin 0.005% by weight, and (IV) no acid. The suboptimal doses of formic acid and propionic acid were used to study the risk for aflatoxin formation in connection with failures of acid preservation of moist grain. The results demonstrated a clear difference between formic acid and propionic acid treatment. Growth of A. parasiticus and aflatoxin production was restricted in propionic acid treated grain. In grain treated with formic acid alone or in combination with ethoxyquin, A. parasiticus totally dominated the fungal flora and produced high levels of aflatoxins. The highest aflatoxin content was found in grain treated with formic acid and ethoxyquin.

Digestion and Utilization of High Moisture Barley by Lactating Dairy Cows

Two experiments were conducted to study digestion and utilization of dry and high moisture barley. Dry matter yield of dry barley was 2.99 tonnes/ha in contrast to 3.58 tonnes/ha for high moisture barley. In Experiment 1, 38 cows in early to midlactation were assigned to two diets (40% alfalfa hay; 9.4% supplement and 50.6% barley, DM basis) that differed only in the type of barley fed: diet 1, rolled dry barley, and diet 2, rolled high moisture barley. Although DM intake, milk yield, and 4% FCM were not significantly influenced by diet, cows fed diet 2 had higher milk persistency than those fed diet 1. In Experiment 2, three lactating cows fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulae were assigned to three dietary treatments in a Latin square design. Diets 1 and 2 were as in Experiment 1, whereas diet 3 contained ground high moisture barley. Digestibility coefficients tended to be lower and duodenal starch percent higher for cows fed diet 3 than those fed diets 1 or 2. No significant dietary differences were observed in ruminal pH, VFA, or ammonia concentrations. Although ensiling and processing influenced the rate and extent of DM and CP degradation in situ, treatment did not influence effective degradability. Results suggest that the feeding value of high moisture barley for lactating cows is equivalent to dry barley on a DM basis.

THE EFFECTS OF ANAEROBIC STORAGE AND PROCESSING OF HIGH-MOISTURE BARLEY ON ITS ILEAL DIGESTIBILITY BY, AND PERFORMANCE OF, GROWING SWINE

Two studies were undertaken to determine the feeding value of high-moisture barley (HMB) for growing swine. HMB containing approximately 25% moisture and dry barley (approximately 13% moisture) was harvested from the same 21.8-ha field. On a dry matter (DM) basis, the HMB yielded 19.6% more than the dry barley. In the first experiment, 56 crossbred gilts and 24 crossbred barrows of an average initial weight of 28 kg were allocated on the basis of initial weight and sex to diets based on either anaerobically stored HMB or dry barley. Pigs fed the HMB-based diet consumed significantly more feed (P &lt; 0.05) on a DM basis, than did pigs fed the dry-barley-based diet. Average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were not affected by diet (P &gt; 0.05). In the second experiment, eight barrows (57.6 kg initial weight), fitted with ileal T-cannulas, were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square to determine the apparent ileal digestibilities of nutrients in diets based on ground or rolled HMB (75% DM) and ground or rolled dry barley (87% DM). There were no differences (P &gt; 0.05) among the four treatment groups in the apparent ileal digestibilities of the DM, CP, gross energy, starch or β-glucan components of the diets. The average ileal digestibility coefficient for β-glucan of the four diets was 79.6% (range: 76–82.2%), suggesting that this component is readily digested by growing pigs. The apparent ileal digestibilities for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and phosphorus were lower (P &lt; 0.05) for the ground dry barley diet than for the other diets. The apparent ileal digestibilities of lysine, methionine, isoleucine, alanine, valine, and aspartic acid were significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) for the ground HMB diet than for the dry barley diets. However, the digestibility coefficients for lysine, isoleucine, valine, and aspartic acid for the rolled HMB diet tended to be intermediate between the digestibility coefficients of these amino acids for the ground HMB diet and those for the dry barley diet. Thus, earlier harvest, in combination with anaerobic storage generally improves the digestibility of HMB as compared to dry barley. Key words: Growing swine, high moisture barley, β-glucan, digestibility, amino acid