Chemical Composition and Nutritive Value of Spring Hulled Barley Varieties

BIEL, W. and E. JACYNO, 2013. Chemical composition and nutritive value of spring hulled barley varieties. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 19: 721-727 The objective of this research was to evaluate the chemical composition and nutritive value of four spring hulled barley varieties (Antek, Skarb, Nagradowicki and Granal) grown in one location in Poland. In the study were determined: chemical composition, amino acids composition and coefficients of nutritive value of protein, namely chemical score (CS), essential amino acid index (EAAI) and biological value (BV). The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of nutrients were examined on 32 Wistar rats (n=8 rats per barley variety). The chemical components: ash, crude protein, ether extract, starch, dietary fibre, lignin and pentosans differed statistically (P≤0.05) between the barley varieties. The higher crude protein content in barley was accompanied by lower contents of the starch and dietary fibre. The Granal variety had a lower (P≤0.05) crude protein content however; the lysine content and quality of protein (CS, EAAI and BV) were higher than in the other three varieties. On the other hand, the ADC of crude protein and of other nutrients in the Granal variety were lower (not significantly, excepting the pentosans; P≤0.05) than in the remaining varieties. In contrast to Granal variety, the Antek variety with the highest (P≤0.05) protein content had the lowest lysine and threonine levels and quality of protein however, the ADC of crude protein was higher (P≤0.05) in comparison with the remaining varieties. Lysine was the most limiting the quality of grain barley proteins in all examined varieties. The coefficients of nutritional values (CS, EAAI, BV) of the proteins of all examined barley varieties showed the good quality of a protein for monogastric animals.