Table 4.

Effects of hulless barley and β-glucanase on soluble β-glucan molecular weight, β-glucan content, ileal viscosity, and digestive tract pH of laying hens at 43 wk of age.

Parameter	0% HB1			73% HB			SEM	Probability
	0% BGase	0.01% BGase	0.1% BGase	0% BGase	0.01% BGase	0.1% BGase		HB	BGase	HB × BGase
Molecular weight (g/mol)
Mp2	14,210ab	12,521ab	11,019b	19,393a	19,864a	8,184b	1,017.2	0.046	0.001	0.030
Mw	18,174b	16,543b	19,079ab	27,431a	20,205ab	11,509b	1,122.8	0.301	0.004	0.001
MW-10%	5,365	4,113	1,288	7,833	4,502	1,759	442.3	0.042	<0.001	0.198
Total β-glucan content (% of DM)	1.96	2.06	2.14	14.48	14.26	13.90	0.327	<0.001	0.820	0.505
Viscosity (cP)	6.90	6.74	5.77	5.23	4.07	3.36	0.268	<0.001	0.002	0.426
pH
Ileum	7.03	7.03	7.26	7.34	7.19	7.17	0.050	0.236	0.686	0.265
Ceca	6.14	5.99	6.21	6.18	6.55	6.21	0.069	0.152	0.794	0.188

^a-bMeans within a row not sharing a common superscript are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05).

¹Abbreviations: BGase, β-glucanase; HB, hulless barley; SEM, pooled standard error of mean (n = 6 cages per treatment).

²Mp = peak molecular weight; Mw = weight average molecular weight; MW-10% = The maximum molecular weight for the smallest 10% molecules.