Page 12 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Falling number no impact on nutrient value of feed grain
THE 2021-22 harvest resulted in an estimated 40-45 percent of wheat grown in NSW being downgraded to feed wheat due to pre-har- vest germination caused by an unusually wet summer.
less than 200 seconds. Only two samples were greater than 300 seconds. The test weights – not presented – ranged be- tween of 72.6 to 80.4kg/ hL and were considered good for feed grade
Graph 1. Pig faecal digestible energy content for 23 sprouted wheat samples with a range of falling number values in seconds.
Graph 2. Broiler apparent metabolisable energy content for 23 sprouted wheat samples with a range of falling number values in seconds.
Therefore, AusScan On- line conducted a study in which 23 samples of sprouted grain from the 2021-22 harvest were an- alysed for falling number, test weight and digestible energy values.
Wheat that has not been weather damaged has unhydrolysed – or high integrity – starch, which will form a more gelati- nous suspension and re- cord a falling number of 300-400 seconds.
classified as sprouted grain and would have been downgraded to feed wheat, while all samples have acceptable pig faecal DE and broiler AME en- ergy values.
Unfortunately, the feed grain quality data re- ported in the AusScan Early Harvest Reports were not able to com- pare sprouted and normal wheats.
ducted at the NSW De- partment of Primary Industries AgEnviro Testing Services in Wagga Wagga, and the samples were supplied by the University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute at Narrabri.
activity is activated when mature grain is rained on prior to harvest, hy- drolysing the starch to sugars.
wheat.
A total 21 samples were
Page 12 – Australian Pork Newspaper, August 2022
References are avail- able on request from Dr Charles Rikard-Bell at c.rikardbell@april.org. au
The falling number value is used by industry to determine the degree of sprouting in suspected wheat samples.
The results indicated that falling number is of no consequence when considering grain for live- stock feed.
The objective was to determine whether the degree of sprouting as indicated by the falling number is relevant to the nutrient value of the feed grain.
Low values – less than 200 seconds – are indica- tive of sprouted grain that produces a less viscous suspension due to alpha- amylase activity, which hydrolyses the starch to sugars.
The falling number values showed that more than half the samples re- corded 62 seconds, with 21 out of 23 samples being
However, there are de- grees of sprouted grain which indicate the extent of the germination pro- cess.
This study was con-
Alpha-amylase enzyme
While the grain is just sprung – prior to the shoot emerging – all the starch and sugars are re- tained in the grain and the nutrient value will not have altered.
In the falling number test, the wheat sample is ground, mixed with water and heated to form a gelatinous suspension, and the falling number value is the time taken for a metal stirrer to fall through the gelatinous suspension.
The results showed ac- ceptable energy values for pig faecal digestible – see Graph 1 – and broiler apparent metabolisable energy – see Graph 2 – ranging from 13.5-14.0MJ/ kg and 12.5-13.0MJ/kg across the range of falling numbervalues.
The sprouted wheat samples in this study have an equivalent nutritional value to normal wheat and could be used as a stockfeed ingredient.
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Once the shoot emerges, energy reserves begin to be drained and the test weight will begin to fall.
The test weights for these grain samples were not low and therefore the degree of sprouting was not advanced.
In 2008, Black found that germination periods from 16-48 hours signifi- cantly reduced the falling number.
However, the broiler AME content improved for barley and was un- changed for sorghum and triticale, though wheat broiler AME content was initially reduced after 20-hour germination but recovered after 48-hour germination.
Other broiler production indices – such as growth rate and feed conver- sion efficiency – were positively impacted by sprouted barley and un- changed for sprouted sor- ghum and triticale.
As noted in previous articles from APRIL in this publication, livestock studies provide good evidence that sprouted wheat in some cases can improve growth rate in young pigs and poultry when included in diets.
However, a study from Idaho State University indicated feed efficiency was slightly reduced with increasing inclusion rate of sprouted grain in weanling pigs but not fin- isher pigs.
In summary, this study dataset helps to empha- sise that sprouted wheat in most instances has an equivalent nutritional value to normal wheat and that falling number is of no consequence when considering grain for live- stock feed.
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