Chemical characterization of selected Western Canadian Spring and durum wheat cultivars using the Cornell net carbohydrate and protein analysis

This study determined the chemical composition of new Canada Prairie Spring (CPS, n = 5) and durum (n = 5) wheat cultivars, relative to a common Canad a Western Red Spring (Katepwa) and durum (Kyle) wheat, which were used to p redict the total digestible nutrient of these cultivars in cattle. The resu lts showed that test weight differed among the spring wheat cultivars (74.9 to 79.9 kg hlitre(-1)) and was similar among the durum cultivars (average 79.7 kg hlitre(-1)). Relative to Katepwa, Genesis had higher (P<0.05) neutr al detergent fibre and starch and lower (P<0.05) crude protein levels. Diff erences among the other CPS cultivars were small. Chemical composition was uniform among the durum cultivars except for neutral detergent fibre which was higher (P<0.05) in Sceptre and AC Morse than Kyle. Carbohydrate fractio nation showed that intermediately degradable carbohydrate is the main compo nent of dry matter in CPS (664.7 g kg(-1)) and durum (656.0 g kg(-1)) wheat . In both types of wheat, true protein was the main protein fraction follow ed by non-protein nitrogen and unavailable protein, respectively. Total dig estible nutrient was similar among the CPS and the durum cultivars. It was concluded that while some differences in chemical composition were observed between CPS cultivars, there was little or no variation among durum cultiv ars. (C) 1999 Society of Chemical Industry.