Influence of Geographical Area of Production on Response of Different Barley Samples to Enzyme Supplements or Water Treatment

ALTHOUGH several workers have shown that the nutritional value of barley for poultry can be improved by enzyme supplementation or water treatment, other investigators (Hamm, 1958; and Gerry, 1959) have failed to improve the nutritional value of barley by addition of enzyme supplements to the feed or water treating the grain. Hamm (1958) obtained a growth depression when barley was water treated and incorporated into diets for chicks. He also failed to obtain a response when Clarase 300 was added to diets containing barley. However, others (Dobson and Anderson, 1958; Arscott, 1958; Fry: et al, 1958; Wharton et al., 1958; and Willingham et al., 1958) have shown marked improvements in barley by additions of enzymes or by water treating the barley. In order to obtain information on factors contributing to this apparent discrepancy, samples of barley grown in eleven different areas of the United States and Canada were obtained and…