During recent years high energy turkey diets containing com as the sole source of ground grain have been fed extensively. Corn has been used as the grain part of the mash because of its high energy, low fiber qualities, and because its deficiencies in amino acids, vitamins, and minerals have been determined by research. Supplements to overcome these deficiencies have been added to high energy corn diets. Excellent results have been obtained when adequate supplementation of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals were made.
In this area frequent inquiries are made as to the possibilities of substituting barley for part or all of the corn. These inquiries are undoubtedly made because barley is generally cheaper than corn. It is a product that is grown locally and yields are above other grains on local irrigated farms.
Poley and Wilson found "no appreciable differences in the rate of growth when turkeys received either corn, wheat, oats, or barley in growing rations." No soybean oil meal was fed as a protein concentrate in their feeding trials. However, since their investigation, new vitamins necessary for growth have been discovered. Alder found that barley could replace a large part of corn in the turkey diet. However, all barley diets were not included in his investigations.
The objectives of this investigation were to study the effects of substituting ground barley for ground corn on a pound for pound basis in the turkey growing mash.
Draper, C. I., "Bulletin No. 361 - How Much Barley for Turkeys" (1953). UAES Bulletins. Paper 316.