A Comparison of the Feeding Value for Broilers of Corn, Grain Sorghum, Barley, Wheat, and Oats, and the Influence of the Various Grains on the Composition and Taste of Broiler Meat

INTRODUCTION THE Danish broiler industry is dependent, in part, on the use of imported grains, mainly corn and grain sorghum. Baelum and Petersen (1964) reported the results of a broiler feeding trial using diets containing 40% corn, sorghum, wheat, barley, and oats—all the diets having the same ratio of metabolisable energy (ME) to digestible protein. The results of the trials showed that the chickens fed corn, sorghum, and barley diets, gained equally in weight, while the birds fed on the wheat and oat diets gained respectively 3% and 6% less. The chickens fed on the wheat, barley, and oats diets consumed respectively 3%, 4%, and 7% more feed per kg. gain, than the birds fed on the corn and sorghum diets. Some chickens from each group were tested for their meat quality, and it was reported by Jensen (1964) that grilled birds fed on the grain sorghum diet had…