Effect of wheat and corn on feed quality

Since the start of this year, the domestic corn prices have been steadily increasing, while wheat prices have remained relatively stable. This has widened the price gap between the two, prompting feed companies to adjust their formulas in an effort to cut costs. As a result, many feed manufacturers have started replacing more corn with wheat. According to recent surveys, in the first half of this year, the proportion of wheat used in feed by large and medium-sized feed companies in Shandong reached 40%, compared to just 10% last year. In Henan, some feed companies have replaced up to 70%-80% of corn with wheat in chicken and duck feed, with even higher substitution rates in certain regions. This shift raises concerns among farmers about whether using large amounts of wheat could affect the quality of the feed. Let's explore this issue in detail below. **1. Nutritional Comparison Between Wheat and Corn** Wheat can be categorized into hard and soft varieties based on texture. Hard wheat has a higher protein content (13%-16%) than soft wheat (8%-10%), though the differences in dry matter, energy, and protein utilization are relatively small. The lysine content in wheat is 0.31%-0.37%, which is about 1.24%-1.48% of that found in corn (0.25%-0.27%). For pig diets, wheat may lack tryptophan and threonine. However, its tryptophan content (0.15%-0.16%) and threonine content (0.33%-0.38%) are significantly higher than those in corn (0.07% and 0.08%-0.32%, respectively). In terms of digestibility for pigs, wheat shows similar performance to corn for threonine, but it has slightly better lysine and tryptophan digestibility. The energy content of wheat is comparable to that of corn, with a digestible energy level of approximately 14.23 MJ/kg, equivalent to 98%-100% of corn’s value. Wheat also has a lower crude fat content (1.6%-2%), with less linoleic acid (0.58%-0.70%) compared to corn (3.6%-4.2% and 1.62%-1.82%). This makes wheat beneficial for fat pigs but less ideal for young pigs. Additionally, wheat contains more calcium and phosphorus than corn, and it naturally contains phytase, which improves mineral absorption. This means that when wheat is used as a replacement, the need for soybean meal and calcium hydrogen phosphate can be reduced. While wheat has lower vitamin E levels than corn, it has higher levels of B vitamins, especially niacin, which has greater biological activity for pigs. **2. Anti-Nutritional Factors in Wheat** Wheat contains several anti-nutritional factors that can impact digestion. First, it has high levels of soluble arabinoxylan and a small amount of β-glucan, which absorb up to ten times their weight in water and form a viscous solution in the small intestine. This can lead to overly wet stools and hinder nutrient absorption, potentially causing nutritional diarrhea. Second, the starch structure in wheat is different from that in corn. Wheat starch consists of smaller granules—about one-fifth the size of corn starch—and 76% of it is amylopectin, making it harder to digest. Third, wheat has a higher crude fiber content, which further complicates digestion. To address these issues, exogenous enzymes should be added to improve the digestibility of wheat in feed. A specific wheat enzyme formulation should include xylanase, β-glucanase, and cellulase. These enzymes must be effective at breaking down the anti-nutritional components like arabinoxylan, β-glucan, and cellulose. They should also reduce intestinal viscosity, increase nutrient absorption, and help prevent diarrhea. When properly formulated, wheat can replace up to 65% or more of corn in feed without compromising growth performance. Moreover, the enzyme should maintain at least 85% activity after being mixed with feed during high-temperature processing. **3. Palatability of Wheat** Wheat is highly palatable to pigs. Studies show that pigs tend to consume more wheat than corn. However, due to its higher starch viscosity, if wheat is ground too finely, it can become unappealing and lead to poor feed intake. Therefore, the degree of grinding should be carefully controlled. For finishing pigs, wheat should be coarser than what is used for piglets to maintain good palatability.

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