Barley beta-glucans alter intestinal viscosity and reduce plasma cholesterol concentrations in chicks.

Ninety-six 14-d-old male broiler chicks were divided into three dietary groups and fed a corn-soybean meal diet, a barley diet with beta-glucanase and that diet without beta-glucanase. All diets contained 4 g cholesterol/kg. Average daily body weight gain, plasma total cholesterol concentration, LDL cholesterol concentration and digestibility of lipids and protein were lowest (P < 0.05) in the chicks fed the barley diet without beta-glucanase and highest (P < 0.05) in the chicks fed corn-soybean meal diet. Supplementation of the barley diet with beta-glucanase resulted in greater (P < 0.05) average daily weight gain, plasma total and LDL cholesterol concentrations and digestibility of lipids. Viscosity of small intestinal digesta was greatest in chicks fed barley, lowest in those fed the corn-soybean diet and intermediate in chicks fed enzyme-treated barley. Significant (P < 0.01) negative correlations occurred between viscosity of the small intestinal contents and average daily weight gain, plasma total and LDL cholesterol concentrations, and digestibility of lipids and protein. A lower concentration of insoluble beta-glucans in small intestinal digesta of the chicks fed barley supplemented with beta-glucanase compared with the chicks fed the unsupplemented barley diet reflects hydrolytic activity of the supplemental beta-glucanase in the diet.