Untersuchungen zur Verwendbarkeit gekeimter Gerste in der Putenfütterung

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptance of a growing and fattening feed for turkeys, containing sprouted barley-corn.. As secondary aim the effect on the humoral immune response of turkey poults was investigated. The barley-corn used in this investigation was enriched with an electrolyte-solution during 24 h of germination. This practise is used to improve the nutritional value of grain seeds and to increase their micronutrient-content. In addition, the tocopherol-/tocotrienol-ratio is shifted in favour of the tocotrienol-content (tocopherol 9.93 mg/kg; tocotrienol 31.34 mg/kg). Two experiments were conducted in the current study. Three groups of 19 one-day-old male poults were placed each in a floor-pen in experiment 1. Group 1 was fed commercial turkey feed as a control diet, group 2 was fed a diet containing 28 % of starch of sprouted barley-corn and group 3 was fed a diet containing 28 % of starch of sprouted barley-corn and 10 % bruised barley-sprouts. In the second experiment two groups of 19 one-day-old female poults were placed each in a floor-pen. Group 1 was fed commercial turkey feed as a control diet and group 2 was fed a diet containing 10 % bruised barley-sprouts. In this study poults were vaccinated against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) at the age of two weeks. Anti-NDV antibody titers were measured on the day of vaccination, in week 5 and at the end of the trial, in week 8. Feed intake, body mass gains and feed conversion (kg feed/kg body mass gain) were in the normal range in both experiments. The acceptance of sprouted barley-corn and starch of sprouted barley-corn and its use as fattening feed was shown by the results of feed consumption and feed conversion. In experiment 1 the immune response in group 3 (starch and bruised barley-sprouts) was significantly higher than in group 1 (control diet) in week 5 but no significant difference between group 1 and group 3 could be observed in week 8. In experiment 2 the anti-NDV antibody-titers were significantly higher in group 1 (control diet) in week 2, equal in both groups in week 5 and significantly higher in group 2 (bruised barley- sprouts) than in group 1 in week 8. Diets containing sprouted barley-corn can be used as feed. However, effects of sprouted barley-corn on humoral immune response of turkey poults could not be observed.