Rapid tests of wheat nutritive value for growing chickens

Two series of broiler chicken feeding experiments quantified the difference s in growth performance Of broiler chickens fed either six different U.K. w heat cultivars front one harvest year or six wheat samples that comprised t wo cultivars (Dean and Beaver, each grown in three harvest scars. Differenc es in broiler growth performance were compared to four rapid tests of wheat quality (specific weight, Hagberg falling number, water-extract viscosity and endosperm hardness) and the determined true metabolisable energy. Broil ers fed the cultivar Dean had higher (P <0.001) weight gains and lower P <0 .05) feed conversion ratios compared to those fed Beaver. Samples from a ha rvest year (1992) in which there was high rainfall in the month during whic h harvest occurred resulted in lower (P <0.05) broiler feed conversion rati os. Endosperm hardness and water-extract viscosity were both linearly relat ed (P <0.05) to differences in broiler feed conversion ratios but there was no (P >0.05) reduction in unaccountable variation from including both vari ables in a multiple regression analysis. The measurement of endosperm hardn ess by near infra-red spectroscopy is rapid and has the potential to be use d to discriminate nutritive value between wheat samples on their arrival at poultry feed mills. (C) 2001 Academic Press.