Whole Wheat Diets Research Articles

Efficacy of whole wheat grain in combination with acidified drinking water on growth performance, gizzard development, intestinal morphology, and microbial population of broiler chickens

A 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to study the effects of acidified drinking water (ADW) as 0 or 350 mL acidifier/1,000 L with 3 different wheat forms including ground wheat (GW), whole wheat (WW), or pelleted whole wheat (PWW) on growth performance, gizzard and proventriculus development, intestinal morphology, and microbial population of broiler chickens fed pelleted corn-soybean meal-based diets. GW, WW, and PWW were added at 50, 100, and 150 g/kg of the diet during starter (d 0 to 10), grower (d 10 to 24), and finisher (d 24 to 35) phases, respectively. A total of 300 male broiler chickens at 1-d-old were randomly distributed into six treatments of five replicate pens each. During the starter and grower phases, GW inclusion tended to increase feed intake (P < 0.05), while WW improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) during all experimental phases (P < 0.05). Feed intake during the grower phase decreased and FCR during the starter and grower phases improved in broiler chickens, which received ADW (P < 0.05). An interaction between the wheat form and ADW were observed for the relative weight and muscular thickness of gizzard and pH of gizzard and proventriculus contents (P < 0.05). Inclusion of WW improved the relative weight, length, and width of gizzard and proventriculus and gizzard muscular thickness (P < 0.05). The gizzard weight increased in broiler chickens received ADW, while pH of gizzard contents decreased in those receiving ADW (P < 0.05). Feeding WW increased villus length (VL) and villus area (VA) compared to PWW inclusion, while the ratio of VL to crypt depth (CD) was the greatest in broilers fed WW (P < 0.05). An increase in VL, VA, or VL/CD was observed in broiler chickens, which received ADW (P < 0.05). In microbial population, ADW tended to increase Lactobacillus and decrease Escherichia coli populations (P < 0.05). Lactobacillus population increased in broiler chickens fed WW diet (P < 0.05). In conclusion, WW inclusion in combination with ADW was found to be a suitable promoting of growth performance, gizzard development, intestinal morphology, and microbial population in broiler chickens.

Determination of the chemical structure of diet biscuits with modern enstrumental techniques

There are too many deficiencies in the studies in terms of diet biscuit in the literature. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature. The % moisture content, structural content verification, thermal stability, degradation properties and % ash content of diet biscuit samples, structural characterizations, surface micromorphology and detailed structural analysis were determined with fast, precise, new instrumental techniques. Thermal degradation of the lemon-fiber diet biscuit sample started at 250 °C in four stages and completed at 585 °C. There is three-stage thermal degradation in wholemeal diet biscuit samples, starting at 229 °C and completed at 580 °C. There are 46.06% C, 1.60% N, 0.12% S and 6.68% H in lemon-fiber diet biscuits, and 45.51% C, 2.39% N, 0.15% S and 7.05% H in whole-wheat diet biscuits. Ca, K, Mg, Na, Zn element contents in diet biscuit samples were determined by AAS technique. In the diet biscuit samples, K was determined as the element with the highest amount and the element with the least amount was Zn. As a result, the work is comprehensive and original. It is believed that the study will fill an important gap in the literature and will be a useful resource for researchers.

Cereal dietary fibres influence retention time of digesta solid and liquid phases along the gastrointestinal tract

Nutrient digestion kinetics are determined by gastric emptying (GE) in the stomach and apparent mean retention time (aMRT) along the small and large intestine. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cereal dietary fibres (DF), either as intrinsic components of plant foods or added ingredients, on the retention of solid and liquid phases of digesta along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Thirty pigs were fed one of five diets containing whole wheat (WW), wheat starch (WS) or wheat starch partially replaced by wheat arabinoxylan (AX) or oat β-glucan (βG), or in combination (WSAXβG). Indigestible solid and liquid phase markers were added to each diet and fed at i) constant and ii) pulse dose intervals. Constant markers (acid insoluble ash and chromium) provided aMRT along 11 sections of the GI tract, while pulse dose markers (cerium, ytterbium and cobalt), fed 2–6 h before anaesthesia, provided a GE time. aMRT was slowest in the caecum and large intestine (LI, 15.4h), followed by the small intestine (SI, 3.4h) and stomach (2.6h) with liquid phases moving faster compared to solid phases. Between DF, AX but not βG, delayed GE of solid and liquid contents and showed longer retention time in SI and LI. In the absence of isolated soluble fibres, WS and WW diets showed similar flow characteristics of solid and liquid phases. The aMRT was shown to be dependent on the structure and swellability of added DF.

Influence of the method of whole wheat inclusion on performance and caecal microbiota profile of broiler chickens

SummaryA study was conducted to investigate the effect of method of whole wheat inclusion on performance and caecal microbiota profile of broiler chickens. Fluorescencein situhybridisation analysis was used to characterise the microbiota by using genus-specific probes. Three treatments, namely, ground wheat (GW) or 200 g/kg whole wheat (WW) replacing GW before or after pelleting were evaluated. A total of 144, one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were allocated to 18 cages (eight broilers per cage) based on body weight and six cages were randomly assigned to each treatment. The diets were offeredad libitumfrom day 11 to 35 post-hatch. The WW fed birds, regardless of the method of inclusion, resulted in poorer weight gain (P &lt; 0.05) and reduced feed intake (P &lt; 0.001), but a similar feed per gain (P &gt; 0.05) compared to those fed the GW diet. The WW diet, regardless to the method of inclusion, had no effect (P &gt; 0.05) on the populations ofLactobacillusandBacteroides spp.compared with the GW diet. TheBifidobacterium spp.population was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in birds fed the GW diet compared with WW feeding, regardless of the method of inclusion. A reduction (P &lt; 0.05) in the numbers of pathogenicClostridiumandCampylobacter spp.were observed in caecal samples from birds fed WW diets, regardless of method of inclusion, compared with those fed the GW diet, which was attributed to increased gizzard activity. Birds fed WW diets, regardless to the method of inclusion, showed a reduction in gizzard pH (P &lt; 0.05), microbial gas production (P &lt; 0.05), and an increase in gizzard weight (P &lt; 0.05) relative to the GW treatment. The results indicated that the gizzard has an important function as a barrier organ, one that prevents pathogenic bacteria from entering the distal digestive tract.

Effects of Whole-Grain Rice and Wheat on Composition of Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Rats.

Diets rich in whole grain (WG) cereals bring lower disease risks compared with refined grain-based diets. We investigated the effects of polished rice (PR), refined wheat (RW), unpolished rice (UPR), and whole wheat (WW) on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and gut microbiota in ileal, cecal, and colonic digesta of normal rats. Animals fed with UPR and WW diets exhibited higher total SCFA in cecal and colonic digesta compared with those fed with PR and RW diets. Wheat diets contributed higher total SCFA than rice diets. In cecal and colonic digesta, animals fed with UPR and WW diets demonstrated higher acetate and butyrate contents than those given PR and RW. Firmicutes were the dominant eumycota in rat ileum digesta (>92% abundance). Cecal and colonic digesta were dominated by Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, and Bacteroidetes. UPR and WW affected gut microbiota, decreasing the proportion of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. SMB53, Lactobacillus, and Faecalibacterium were the main bacterial genera in ileal digesta. Akkermansia was highest in cecal and colonic digesta. In the colonic digesta of rats, the relative abundance of Akkermansia in rats on wheat diets was higher than that in rats on rice diets ( P < 0.05). Thus, UPR and WW could modulate gut microbiota composition and increase the SCFA concentration. Wheat diet was superior to rice diet in terms of intestinal microbiota adjustment.

Impacts of Age, Snack Food, and Whole and Refined Wheat on the Rat Fecal Microbiome

Early exposures that promote gut microbiome dysbiosis are associated with childhood and adult disease. The ability of whole (vs refined) grains to enhance gut microbiome composition and function and host immunometabolic health remains controversial. We assessed the impact of whole vs refined wheat on gut microbiome maturation in Sprague Dawley rats fed a snack food‐based diet.Individually‐housed male Sprague Dawley rats were weaned at 4 weeks onto either: 1) AIN‐93G (control), a standard casein‐, cornstarch‐ and soy oil‐based diet; 2, 3) AIN‐93G containing 18% (wt) refined wheat (RW) rusk or whole wheat (WW) rusk; 4,5) A 65% snack (S) mixture of chips, crackers, candy, etc. supplemented with either 18% refined wheat (SRW) or whole wheat (SWW) rusk. Diets were balanced to match protein and micronutrient content. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed at 20 weeks. Fecal samples were collected at weaning and after 24 weeks and frozen. DNA extraction, V4 region amplification of 16S rRNA, 250 bp paired‐ end sequencing and downstream processing were performed as described (PLoS One. 2015 Aug 18;10(8):e0135758.) Closed reference OTUs (99% threshold), OTU tables, heat‐maps, diversity measures and phylogenetic distances were obtained (QIIMEv1.8 and R). PCoA and jackknifed UPGMA clustering were performed. Defining OTUs were identified with LDA (Linear Discriminant Analysis) Effect Size (Lefse) and OTU relationship to glucose (in)tolerance were assessed by Multivariate Association with Linear Models (MaAsLin).210 samples generated 12.2 million quality reads and 738 OTU designations. Alpha diversity (Shannon) was greater at 24 weeks (p = 0.04), coincident with decreased Bacteroidetes and increased Firmicutes across all diets. 4 and 24 week samples were separable by PCoA and UPGMA (p &lt; 1010). Distinguishing OTUs at 4 weeks included B. fragilis, A. muciniphila, P. gordoni and C. perfringens; mature microbiomes were distinguished by Coprococcus, Allobaculum and the Bacteroidales lineage S24‐7. Alpha diversity was comparable among the 5 diets and C, WW and RW diets were taxonomically indistinguishable. SWW or SRW microbiomes were distinct from C, WW and RW microbiomes (UPGMA, p&lt; 107), coincident with impaired glucose tolerance in snack‐based vs wheat‐supplemented groups (p&lt;0.05). Defining OTUs of snack‐based diets were S24‐7, C. areofaciens, and Oscillospora, Lachnospira, Clostridium and Holdemania; non‐snack diets were distinguished by A. muciniphila, C. eutactus, L. salivarius and Adlercreutzia. Microbiomes of SWW and SRW diets were indistinguishable.Maturation per se most significantly impacted the adult fecal microbiome in this study. A diet high in sucrose and fat and lower in fiber (S) was associated with dysbiosis and impaired glucose tolerance. Supplementation of this diet with whole (WW) or refined (RW) wheat protected glucose tolerance but did not detectably alter fecal microbial community structure.Support or Funding InformationSupported by Mondelez International, Inc and USDA ARS Cooperative Agreement no. 58‐1950‐7‐707.

Influence of method of wheat inclusion and pellet diameter on performance, nutrient utilisation, digestive tract measurements and carcass characteristics of broilers

The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of method of wheat inclusion and pellet diameter on performance, nutrient utilisation, digestive tract development and carcass characteristics of broilers. The experimental design was a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, which included three diet forms, namely ground wheat (GW) and 200 g/kg whole wheat (WW) replacing GW before or after pelleting, and two pellet diameters (3.0 and 4.76 mm). Experimental diets were offered ad libitum from Day 11 to Day 35 post-hatch. Pellet durability index was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in GW diets and deteriorated (P &lt; 0.05) with pre-pelleting inclusion of WW when the larger die was used. Larger pellet diameter increased (P &lt; 0.05) the weight gain and lowered (P &lt; 0.05) feed per gain of birds fed diets with GW and post-pellet inclusion of WW. However, in birds fed diets with pre-pelleting inclusion of WW, the larger pellet diameter lowered (P &lt; 0.05) feed intake and weight gain, and increased (P &lt; 0.05) feed per gain. Relative gizzard weight was increased (P &lt; 0.05) by larger pellet diameter with pre-pelleting inclusion of WW, but was unaffected (P &gt; 0.05) in diets containing GW or post-pellet inclusion of WW. Irrespective of the method of WW inclusion, larger pellet diameter increased (P &lt; 0.05) the apparent metabolisable energy and ileal starch digestibility. Larger pellet diameter was associated with reductions (P &lt; 0.05) in the relative length and weight of all components of the digestive tract in GW-fed birds, but had no effect (P &gt; 0.05) on these parameters in birds fed WW diets. Larger pellet diameter increased (P &lt; 0.05) carcass yield in the GW group, reduced (P &lt; 0.05) in the pre-pelleting WW group and had no effect in the post-pelleting WW group. Overall, these results showed that the effect of pellet diameter on broiler performance varied depending on the form of wheat and method of WW inclusion. Adverse effects on weight gain in the pre-pelleting WW group were due primarily to reduced feed intake resulting from poor pellet quality.

Influence of whole wheat inclusion on optimal feed withdrawal duration

1. The objective of the present study was to examine whether the commonly applied duration of feed withdrawal (10 h) should be altered if broilers receive a commercial whole wheat (WW) diet instead of a completely pelleted (C) diet. 2. Inclusion of whole wheat in the diet did not affect weight gain, feed intake or feed conversion. 3. The effect of different feed withdrawal (FW) durations on body weight loss was similar for both diets. 4. Gall bladder content was not significantly greater after longer feed withdrawal periods, irrespective of diet composition. Birds given the WW diet had significantly greater gall bladder contents than birds receiving the C diet. 5. Both diets had similar effects on wet weight of the total gut contents, mean relative wet contents of each gut region and percentage water content of the gut contents. 6. These results indicate that a feed withdrawal period of 10 h is sufficient for broilers on the WW diet.

Influence of whole wheat feeding on the development of gastrointestinal tract and performance of broiler chickens

The main aim of the present study was to investigate the changes in the relative growth of digestive organs of broilers as influenced by whole wheat feeding and age of birds. The secondary aim was to examine the effects of whole wheat feeding on broiler performance over a 5-week feeding period. Diets containing ground wheat and whole wheat (100 and 200 g/kg whole wheat replacing ground wheat during 1–21 days and 22–35 days, respectively) were placed in 4 replicate pens (46 birds/pen) each. Throughout the 5-week trial, the birds offered feed containing wheat as whole grain grew slower (P &lt; 0.05) and consumed less (P &lt; 0.05) feed than those offered feed containing ground wheat. Feed-to-gain ratio was not influenced (P &gt; 0.05) by the form of wheat during the first 2 weeks, but was significantly lowered (P &lt; 0.05) by whole wheat feeding from 3 weeks onwards. Over the 5-week period, the feed-to-gain ratio of birds fed the whole-wheat diet was 7 points better (P &lt; 0.05) than of those fed the ground wheat diet. Improved feed efficiency from Week 3 onwards coincided with significant increases (P &lt; 0.05) in the relative weights of the gizzard in birds fed the whole-wheat diet. Whole-wheat inclusion had no effect (P &gt; 0.05) on the relative weights of crop, proventriculus, and pancreas or on the relative weight and length of the small intestine. The relative weights of storage sections of the gastrointestinal tract (crop, proventriculus, and gizzard) steadily declined during the 5-week period. The relative weights of pancreas and liver increased to Day 14 and decreased thereafter. The relative weights of intestinal segments were maximal during Weeks 1 and 2 of life, and declined rapidly with age. In general, the growth of different segments of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) followed a similar pattern. The intestinal mass, measured as g tissue/cm tissue, steadily increased over the trial period, indicating that, although the relative size of the intestine declines with age, this decline is compensated by increased intestinal mass to support the nutrient supply function to the demand tissues.

Effects of Feeding Locally Grown Whole Barley With or Without Enzyme Addition and Whole Wheat on Broiler Performance and Carcass Traits

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of increasing dietary levels of whole barley (WB) with or without exogenous enzymes and of whole wheat (WW) without E fed from 7 d of age, on performance and carcass characteristics of broilers. Experiment 1 was conducted with corn-soybean meal grower diets containing WB at 0, 10, 10 + enzymes, 15, or 15% + enzymes. The finisher diets contained, as fed, WB at 0, 15, 20 + enzymes, 15, or 20% + enzymes. In Experiment 2, grower diets contained 0, 10, 10, 20, or 20% WW with 0, 20, 35, 20, or 35% WW in the finisher diets. No enzymes were used for WW diets. In each Experiment, 1,500 1-d-old Ross x Ross male broilers were randomly distributed in 30 floor pens of 50 birds each. Six replicates were allotted to each treatment. Body weight, average daily gain (ADG), feed intake (FI), and feed efficiency ratio (FER) were measured at 7, 21, and at 38 d of age. In Experiment 1, ADG was lower (P < 0.05) in the control vs. Diet 5. However, FER with enzyme addition was lower, and FI with enzymes was higher (P < 0.05). Final BW, gizzard, and pancreas weights were higher (P < 0.05) with WB inclusion. In Experiment 2, ADG and BW significantly increased with addition of WW, although the response was best for Diets 2 and 3. Abdominal fat and carcass weights increased (P < 0.05) with the WW levels in the diets.

Crude and pre-extruded products of wheat as nutrient sources in extruded diets for Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar, L) grown in sea water

Atlantic salmon with initial mean weight 175 g, grown in sea water for 101 days, were fed extruded diets containing either 0, 15, 30 or 45% crude whole wheat (WC), pre-extruded whole wheat (WE) or pre-extruded after-meal (AE). After-meal is a protein-rich wheat by-product. In the WE diet series, we found growth (weight increase) to be significantly lower in the 45% diet than in the control diet, but although not statistically significant, there was a tendency towards reduced growth also in the other diet series, with increasing dietary inclusions of wheat. Condition factors were not affected by diet, and no significant differences were found in proximate carcass composition between fish fed the control diet or the diet contributing the highest amount of energy as carbohydrates. Plasma glucose, liver glycogen and hepatosomatic indices were within the normal ranges for all diets. No significant effects of wheat inclusion level were found on digestibilities of protein or lipid in any of the diet series. Starch digestibility was significantly higher in the diet containing 45% pre-extruded after-meal than in the diets containing 45% pre-extruded whole wheat or 45% crude whole wheat. The highest inclusions of wheat resulted in reduced dry matter digestibility in the pre-extruded whole wheat series and in the crude whole wheat series.

The effects of whole wheat, wheat bran and zinc in the diet on the absorption and accumulation of cadmium in rats

The purpose of the present study was to determine if the inclusion of whole-grain wheat or wheat bran in the diet or the addition of Zn to the diet affects the absorption and accumulation of Cd. Five groups of six rats each were fed deionized water and one of five diets composed of one part basic diet and one part wheat crispbread for 6 weeks. The accumulation of Cd in the liver and kidneys was measured using atomic absorption spectrometry and estimated by measuring the absorption and retention of 109Cd from a single meal after 3 weeks on the diets. The fractional accumulation of Cd in the liver and kidneys was lower in rats fed on whole-wheat and bran diets than in those fed on wheat-endosperm diets. As adding Zn or Cd to endosperm diets to approximate the bran and whole-wheat diet levels had no effect on the fractional Cd absorption, the reduced absorption from the whole-wheat and bran diets is probably not due to their higher Zn and Cd concentrations but may be due to their higher fibre or phytate concentrations. The amount of Cd accumulated in the liver and kidneys of the rats fed on whole-wheat and bran diets was higher than that in rats fed on the endosperm diet. Thus, the reduction in the fractional Cd accumulation from the whole-wheat and bran diets is not sufficient to compensate for their higher Cd concentrations.

Effects of Whole-Wheat and White Bread Diets on Susceptibility of Mice to Pneumococcal Infection

Effects of Whole-Wheat and White Bread Diets on Susceptibility of Mice to Pneumococcal Infection