RED DEER — Wheat finds its way into hog and poultry operations when it is downgraded to feed quality, but it can also end up as part of a cattle ration.
“Feedlot users are reluctant to use wheat because there are several concerns,” said Wenzhu Wang of Agriculture Canada.
Cattle feeders often believe they should keep it at a maximum of 50 percent of the ration to prevent rumen acidosis, he told the Alberta Beef Industry Conference, which was held in Red Deer Feb. 18-20.
Wheat causes more acid production during digestion in the rumen than barley, corn and sorghum because of the high gluten content.
Read Also
The Western Producer Livestock Report: July 17, 2025
U.S. hogs averaged $106.69 on a carcass basis July 11, down from $110.21 July 4.
It has an average high crude protein level of nearly 16 percent and contains 70 percent starch. However, those components can be 10 to 18 percent protein and 60 to 74 percent starch.
“Similar to other feed grains, there are substantial variations in the nutrient content depending on the variety or the environmental conditions,” he said.
Research found that properly processed wheat can replace all the barley in a diet with no measurable negative impact, especially when the ionophore monensin was added.
Caloric levels and average daily gains achieved from wheat, corn, barley, milo and oats are similar.
“In terms of performance, there is no difference between corn, barley and wheat,” he said.
Cattle tended to eat less wheat and still gained equally well.
There was no significant difference in carcass quality, but there was a noticeable difference with more liver abscesses by feeding straight wheat versus a mix with barley.
barbara.duckworth@producer.com
