Chapter 4 - Whole Wheat in Commercial Poultry Production

Abstract

Use of whole wheat grain in poultry diets is a centuries-old tradition, and is now highly popular in extensive production systems. A renewed interest in feeding whole cereal grain under intensive production systems is mainly driven by efforts to minimize feeding costs, but also represents a move away from overly intensive poultry production systems in many countries and regions of the world. The use of whole wheat diets optimizes the amount of nutrients ingested with feed by individual birds, according to their requirements, while ensuring better development and operation of the digestive tract. This feeding system could be used in preventing gastrointestinal, vascular, and skeletal diseases, and in improving the indoor climate. However, the wheat grain used must be of high nutritive value and good quality to ensure strong performance and good health in birds.