The effect of extrusion on the nutrient content of barley as a feed material

Abstract

Currently, one of the ways to prepare grain for feeding is the extrusion method, during which the grain is subjected to a short-term, but very intense impact. A study was conducted on the effect of the extrusion process on the nutrient content of barley used as feed for farm animals. In order to identify the effectiveness of extrusion, the article presents the results of an experiment on changing the chemical composition of extruded grain compared to whole grain. The results of the studies indicate that the dry matter content has significantly increased compared to whole grain. From organic substances, the carbohydrate composition of grain was most significantly transformed. At the same time, in the composition of biologically active substances, the proportion of starch decreased from 94.4 to 80.4 %, and the proportion of sugar increased from 4 to 5.6 %. The total amount of minerals in the extrusion process also decreased slightly, but only a decrease in the calcium content and an increase in the potassium content were statistically significant. The results obtained allow us to state that the extrusion process is a promising way to improve the quality and safety of grain feed and requires further study and improvement.