THE FEEDING OF RYE TO GROWING CHICKENS

Four experiments were carried out with growing chickens to study the feeding value of rations containing rye. Levels of rye in the rations ranged from 0 to 60 per cent. The criteria employed to evaluate this effect were body gain, feed efficiency, and carcass grade.All-mash rations containing rye resulted in poorer growth and feed efficiency than similar rations containing wheat. Pelleting was found to improve the feeding value of rye by the chicken. Pelleted rations containing rye gave growth and feed efficiency equivalent to that obtained on all-mash rations containing wheat. Increasing levels of rye from 15 to 60 per cent in pelleted rations had no significant effect on weight gains but each increment of rye resulted in a noticeable (but non-significant) loss in feed efficiency.