Apparent metabolisable energy and chemical composition of Australian wheat in relation to environmental factors

A total of 81 wheats collected from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia over 3 harvests were assayed for apparent metabolisable energy (AME) in broiler chickens. The non-starch polysaccharides (soluble and insoluble) and their individual sugar components, starch, and protein were also determined. The nutritive quality of wheat varied significantly (P < 0.01), especially at time of harvest, with approximately 40% having an average AME value <13 MJ/kg dry matter. The low-AME wheats usually caused copious quantities of watery and sticky droppings. The occurrence of low-AME wheats was associated more with climatic conditions during growth than with geographical region.