technical
Replacing all or some of the corn in diets
Wheat as an alternative to corn
C orn is usually the main
ingredient used in pig and poultry
feeds produced in Asia. What
happens though when prices are
high and there are concerns over corn
supply? Having a strategy in place
to enable replacement of one type
of feedstuff with another in animal
diets is an excellent way to alleviate
the inherent risks of market volatility
in raw material prices and supply.
Replacing all or some of the corn
in diets with imported wheat can
present an interesting opportunity
in order to reduce feed costs and
maintain profitability. Being prepared
with the correct information and feed
additives, when implementing such
Figure 1:
Digesta viscosity is closely related to bird performance (Barrier-Guillot et al., 1997).
1.85
Broiler FCR (g:g)
1.80
1.75
1.70
1.65
2 4
24 ASIAN FEED — July/August 2012
with imported wheat can present an interesting
opportunity in order to reduce feed costs and
maintain profitability write ALEXANDRE PÉRON
and AHMED AMERAH*.
a strategy, will ensure a successful,
productive and profitable outcome.
Use of enzymes in the diet can
alleviate and cancel-out many of the
perceived risks of using wheat to
replace corn.
Differences in grain composition
between wheat and corn
As shown in Table 1, wheat has more
protein than corn, but it contains
less starch and more non-starch
polysaccharides. As a result, wheat
digestible or metabolisable energy
value is lower than corn.
Protein and amino acid levels in
wheat cover a greater range than in
FCR = 1.564 + 0.304* log Visc
R2 = 0.84
6 8 10
Digesta Viscosity (cPs)
corn and besides having a higher
protein content, wheat also has a
different amino acid profile than
corn (e.g. it contains approximately
30% more lysine). As a consequence,
diets formulated with wheat should
be balanced on a digestible amino
acid basis.
Arabinoxylans represent the
main non-cellulosic non-starch
polysaccharides (NSP) component
of both grains; however unlike corn,
wheat contains significant amounts
of soluble NSP. High levels of soluble
NSP are responsible for increased gut
viscosity and lead to reduced nutrient
utilisation and animal performance
(see figure 1). They can also result in
increased microbial proliferation in
the gut and poor litter quality (Choct
and Annison, 1992; Steenfeldt, 2001;
Carré et al., 2002; Barletta, 2003).
Pigs have more dilute digestive
contents than poultry, and this
characteristic appears to make them
less sensitive to the negative effects
of viscosity. Therefore, pig diets may
allow for higher inclusion levels of
wheat than can be tolerated in poultry
feeds. Nonetheless, high levels of
soluble NSP have been shown to
be an exacerbating factor in the
development of non-specific colitis
in pigs.
For both animal species, the insoluble
NSP fraction of wheat and corn is
responsible for nutrient encapsulation,
leading to lower accessibility of
starch and protein. In addition, the
water-holding capacity of insoluble
 Table 1: Nutritional profile of corn and wheat. to utilise fibre is extremely limited,
the digestibility of NSP does not
Average composition (%, as fed basis) Corn Wheat
play a major role in the variation
Starch 65.2 59.5 of corn and wheat ME in poultry.
Protein 7.6 11.9
However the amount of soluble fibre
Oil 3.9 2.0
(i.e. viscosity) is the main influencer of
Non-Starch Polysaccharides (NSP) wheat ME for poultry.
Total NSP 8.7 10.9
Soluble NSP 0.2 2.2 For pigs, the digestibility of starch
Phosphorus (P)
from cereal grains is generally close
Total-P 0.24 0.31 to 100% – with the exception of very
Phytate-P 0.19 0.22 young animals. Therefore it does
Average energy value (kcal/kg, as fed) not significantly affect the variation
Metabolisable Energy (ME) for poultry 3300 3050 in corn or wheat DE. On the other
Digestible Energy (DE) for pigs 3600 3350 hand, because pigs have a greater
ability than poultry to breakdown NSP
through bacterial fermentation in the
fibre can decrease the availability anti-nutritional factor) profile. lower gut, the variation in the quantity
of water-soluble nutrients and also The quantity of carbohydrates, and quality of the fibre fraction
reduce feed intake. Importantly, all protein and lipid will influence the can explain a significant part of the
these issues can be easily alleviated energy value of the grain. variability in the cereal feeding value.
by the use of an appropriate However, more than the quantity of Finally, it should be noted that high
NSP-degrading enzyme. nutrients, their availability (i.e. the rainfall prior wheat harvest can
Wheat contains more phosphorus sum of their individual digestibility) increase the risk of sprouted grain.
than corn and, more importantly, it will be the key determinant of wheat Sprouted wheat typically contains
has a greater proportion of available or corn feeding value, expressed less energy than non-sprouted wheat,
phosphorus. Moreover, endogenous as metabolisable energy (ME) or the reason being that the grain has
phytase activity is higher in wheat digestible energy (DE). In other words, started to use its nutrient reserves
grain than in corn. the extent to which starch, sugars, (e.g. starch) for the germination
protein, fat and fibre are digested process. This should be taken into
Like any other cereal grains, wheat is
by the animal will determine the consideration when formulating diets
subject to fungal diseases. However,
nutritional value of the ingredient. with sprouted wheat.
the risk of mycotoxins contamination
in wheat is not greater than in corn. For poultry, the variation in corn Feed processing and the use
The main difference between the two nutritional value is mainly driven by of wheat
cereals is the type of mycotoxins that the variability in starch digestibility
can be detected on the grain. Harvest (Péron & Gilbert, 2010), whereas From a feedmillers point of view,
surveys in Asia have shown that the variation in wheat nutritional wheat is known to improve pellet
Deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin or DON) value is primarily driven by the quality. This is related to the presence
appears to be the most common variability in lipid digestibility and, of gluten proteins which help to bind
mycotoxin found in wheat, followed to a lesser extent, the variability the ingredients during the pelleting
by Zearalenone (ZON) and, to a lesser in starch digestibility (Carré et al., process. Even a small proportion of
extent, Fumonisin and ergot. For 2007). Digestion of corn and wheat wheat in the formulation can lead to
corn, Fumonisin and DON were the starch can be influenced by several a noticeable improvement in terms of
most prevalent mycotoxins, followed factors such as starch granule size, pellet durability, potentially removing
by ZON and Aflatoxin. amylose/amylopectin ratio and the the need to use a pellet binder.
interaction of starch granules with On the negative side, it should be
Variability in the nutritional value the surrounding protein matrix in the noted that pelleting increases the
Cereal grains are complex structures, endosperm (i.e. vitreousness in corn viscosity of wheat due to further fibre
where a range of nutrients interact or hardness in wheat). solubilisation during the conditioning
with each other via chemical and/ For example, starch digestibility and pelleting process (Zimonja et al.,
or physical associations. Ultimately, is lower for hard wheat cultivars 2008).
the quantity and availability of these compared to soft wheat cultivars Wheat is an easy grain to grind,
nutrients determines the nutritional (Péron et al., 2006). Digestion of however the grinding process requires
value of the grain. Due to the infinite wheat lipid is strongly related to grain some attention. Endosperm texture
combination of grain genetics and viscosity, and high levels of soluble (hard or soft) can have a major impact
growing conditions, each cultivar NSP result in a reduction of fatty acids on the particle size of ground wheat,
presents a specific nutrient (and absorption. Because the bird’s ability with soft cultivars producing larger w

ASIAN FEED — July/August 2012 25

 technical
v amounts of fine particles compared
with hard ones (Abécassis et al., 1997).
Fine grinding of wheat, especially
for soft varieties, may increase dust
and reduce pellet durability (Carré
et al., 2005). Finely ground wheat
may become sticky and pasty when
wet, and may reduce palatability of
mash feeds.
Overall, it is preferable to grind
wheat coarsely, especially when diets
are offered in mash form. Research
suggests that the average particle size
of ground wheat should be around
600 to 800 microns in order to ensure
optimum nutrient utilisation (Amerah
et al., 2007). As for other cereal grains,
excessively fine grinding of wheat may
increase the incidence of stomach
ulcers in pigs. For poultry, it can also
result in incomplete digestion due
to limited stimulation of the gizzard
function and increased passage rate
(Péron et al., 2006; Svihus, 2010).
In recent years, there has been
a renewed interest in the use of
whole grain wheat in poultry diets.
Feeding a small proportion of whole
grains together with a complete
‘concentrate’ ration has a positive
impact on gizzard function and
generally leads to better nutrient
utilisation and gut health. Generally,
the whole wheat is added by
substituting part of the ground wheat,
resulting in one complete feed.
Ingredients, except the whole wheat,
are mixed together and pelleted.
Only then the whole grain is added
and mixed with the pellets.
Whole wheat feeding typically
begins around one week of age and
the grain is added progressively, from
5% in the starter phase up to 20% in
the finisher phase.
Wheat and feed enzymes
The application of exogenous
xylanase to wheat-based diets
has become a standard practice
in the industry over many years.
26 ASIAN FEED — July/August 2012
Take home messages
1. Wheat can be used very successfully in poultry and swine feeds.
2. When the economics are favourable, the transition from corn to wheat is
made progressively to minimise negative impact on the animal. Wheat
levels can be gradually increased over time, with the use of an appropriate
enzyme or enzyme combination, in order to let the animal adapt to this
new ingredient.
3. The feed formulation should take into account the differences in nutrient
composition between the two cereal grains i.e. balance the diets on a
digestible amino acids basis, not on a protein basis.
4. Wheat should be thoroughly assessed for its physical and chemical
characteristics e.g. fibre content, grain viscosity. This is because of the
important variability in its feeding value which is influenced mainly by the
combination of genetics and growing conditions.
5. Wheat has a positive impact on pellet quality and is easy to grind.
6. Wheat should be ground coarsely to prevent any potential problem
associated with the presence of fine particles, especially for soft cultivars
or when the diets are offered in mash form.
7. The fibre profile of wheat, especially the higher levels of soluble NSP,
means that an appropriate feed enzyme i.e. a product with a key
‘backbone’ activity of xylanase, should be used when formulating diets
with this grain.
Including xylanase enzymes improves related to the fibre fraction but
the grain feeding value through is determined by the interaction
the degradation of its soluble between starch granules and the
and insoluble fibre fractions. It surrounding protein matrix, it could
subsequently reduces the anti- also be expected that xylanase alone
nutritional effects of the NSPs and may not be sufficient to alleviate the
allows for more consistent animal negative effects of wheat hardness on
performance. nutrient digestibility.
It is generally accepted that the Although NSP degradation and
magnitude of the enzyme response viscosity reduction definitely remain
is linked to the feeding value of the major targets for feed enzymes, a
the grain. Therefore the benefits role for the addition of other enzyme
of xylanase addition on nutrient activities, in particular, amylase and
utilisation and animal performance protease can be considered. These
will be most evident in poor feeding two activities have been shown to be
value ‘low-energy’ wheat. Recent beneficial in corn-based diets when
research investigating the interaction added to a xylanase ‘backbone’. n
between grain characteristics
(viscosity and hardness) and enzyme
supplementation in broiler diets
confirmed that high viscosity wheat
was more responsive to xylanase
* Dr Alexandre Péron (alexander.peron@danisco.
addition. com), Danisco Animal Nutrition, Singapore and
Dr Ahmed Amerah, Danisco Animal Nutrition, UK.
From an enzyme perspective, as A list of references are available on request
wheat hardness is not directly from the first author.
 Wheat....friend or foe?

High corn prices?

Wheat is a friend that can boost your profits.

Agility in handling alternative cereal grains means better capability to lower your feed costs.

Maximize profitability and nutritional value across different diet types with Danisco Xylanase,
Axtra XB, Avizyme, Porzyme and Phyzyme XP.

In S.E.A., those who recognize the profit opportunity are using wheat as a partial or complete
replacement of corn in animal feed.

Speak to Danisco Animal Nutrition, a trusted global leader in enzyme solutions, to get maximum
value from your diets.

To find out more please contact

Danisco Animal Nutrition, Singapore Tel: +65 6511 5600
info.animalnutrition@danisco.com www.danisco.com/animalnutrition Danisco Animal Nutrition

ASIAN FEED — July/August 2012 27