Sprout barley is a nutritionally rich food, particularly high in calcium and various vitamins and nutrients. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is also known for its ability to increase the production of good cholesterol HDL. It is an excellent source of dietary fibre and can help prevent constipation. It contains the polysaccharide policosanol that has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels, thus decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is also a source of the antioxidant glutathione, which has been shown to lower blood pressure and decrease inflammation.
Phytogenic compounds are natural anti-oxidants that are generated during the germination of grain seeds. During sprouting, these compounds are activated and release many beneficial biological activities such as enzymes, peptides and proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. Sprouting allows for the maximum activation of these substances and can significantly enhance their bioavailability.
In the present study, 4-day barley sprouts were analyzed for their protein, lipid, and energy content and digestibility as well as fatty acid composition and microbial profile. Digestibility of DM, DP and DE of the sprouts decreased with increasing sprouting time. Pigs fed the raw 4-day sprouts gained less weight and had lower feed efficiency than pigs fed ground whole barley, although they had the same level of energy.
Dried barley grains were harvested and sprouted hydroponically for 1-7 days under controlled conditions. Sprouts were dried, ground and analyzed for moisture, crude protein, amino acids, fats, fatty acid profile, total soluble carbohydrates, cellulose, and ss-D-glucan. Four samples of the ground barley were also analyzed as a control.
Chemical analysis of the spouts revealed that their moisture content was 9-fold higher than that of the raw barley grains. This is likely due to the rapid uptake of water by the seeds during germination. During sprouting, the protein content of the green shoot and RSSG plus UG fractions increased while that of the root fraction decreased.
The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ash and mineral content were all linearly increased with the increasing levels of sprouted barley in the diets. In addition, the pH value, ammonia-N and gas production were also significantly reduced with increasing levels of sprouted barley in diets.
The results showed that spout barley had efficacy in enhancing the digestibility of the DM, OM, NDF, ash and mineral contents of the diets and improving the digestive process in growing lambs. Besides, the microbial population and biochemical parameters were also improved with sprouted barley in the diets. Diets containing 25% to 100% sprouted barley had the highest efficacy in increasing final bodyweight, feed intake and the feed-to-gain ratio compared to the traditional diet. The spout barley treatments also had the lowest concentration of iso-butyric and iso-valeric acid, but the acetic acid-to-propionic acid ratio was increased with spout barley in the diet.