THE FEEDS 335 



ir/ifa^.— Wheat is usually spoken of as tlieljestof the grains 

 for poultry feeding. This is ])robably heeause it contains 

 more protein and ash tluiu corn or kafir and less fiber than 

 outs. 



As shown by Brown' the amount of i)rotein a\'ailable for 

 chickens found in 100 pounds of wheat is 9.()9 pounds, 

 while the amount found in 100 pounds of corn is 9.27, or 

 but 0.42 pounds less. At the same time, wheat contains less 

 than one-third as much digestible fat as corn and slightly 

 less nitrogen-free extract. 



Brown further reports digestive disturbances fl'hen fowls 

 were fed on a pure wheat diet, accompanied by loss of appetite 

 and bodily depression. Changing to a diet of oats and corn 

 stopped the trouble. 



These facts, coupled with its high cost, due to its demand 

 for flour-making, indicate that too much emphasis has been 

 laid upon wheat as the most important single grain for 

 ]ioultry feeding. It is, however, a very valuable addition to 

 any ration by way of variety and because of its palatalnlity. 



The plump, soft wheats are more palatable for fowls than 

 the hard wheats, but the comparati\'e feeding value has not 

 been determined. 



Shrunken wheat, caused by frost or tlrouth, contains a 

 larger pro])ortion of protein than plump wheat because the 

 starch, which is the last material stored in the grain, failed 

 to reach it before growth ceased. As such wheat is unfit 

 for flour-making, it may usually be purchased at a less price 

 than fully matured wheat, while it is more valuable for 

 feeding purposes. 



The amounts of digestible nutrients found in 100 pounds of 

 wheat as determined by digestion experiments with chickens 

 are S.9 pounds of protein, 1.1 pounds of fat, and G2.6 pounds 

 of nitrogen-free extract. It contains 1.8 pounds of ash and 

 has a nutritive ratio for cliickens of 1 to 7.3. The crude fiber 

 content is 1.8 pounds. 



Shrunken wheat has been found to carry 4 per cent 

 more digestible protein than plump wheat on the basis of 



' Bureau of Animal Industry, Bulletin No. 56. 



