What points should be noted when using the three wheat feeds

Wheat bran, wheat chaff and wheat straw are collectively called the three wheat feeds, and are an important feed in the main wheat-producing areas. Rational use of the three wheat feeds can play an important role in developing animal husbandry. If used improperly, not only will they fail to produce the due effect, but they will also cause certain diseases in livestock and poultry and bring certain economic losses.

Wheat bran Wheat bran is a high-phosphorus, low-calcium feed, and the ratio of phosphorus to calcium it contains is 4:1, which is exactly the opposite of the physiological calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 1.5-2:1 required by livestock and poultry. Feeding too much wheat bran can cause calcium deficiency disease due to an imbalance in the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. Examples include rickets in young animals, osteomalacia in adult animals, enteroliths in equines, urolithiasis in male livestock, and thin-shelled eggs in poultry. The key measure for safe feeding of wheat bran is to master a reasonable amount, and generally speaking it should be controlled below 20% of the compound feed. Specifically:

Chickens: before 8 weeks it should account for 25%-5%, from 9 weeks to the start of laying 11%-15%, laying hens 15%, and broilers 2%-8%.

Pigs: do not feed wheat bran before 40 days of age; for growing pigs under 55 kg it accounts for 12%, for finishing pigs from 55 kg to 90 kg 15%, for breeding boars and pregnant sows 20%, and for lactating sows 16%.

Wheat chaff Wheat chaff has sharp awns and prickles, and those threshed by machine are even worse. When fed, the awns and prickles can damage ulcers, and over time the animals eat grass slowly, chew incompletely, lose body condition, and decline in constitution. The key measure for rational feeding of wheat chaff is to first subject it to harmless treatment. There are two treatment methods: the first is the rolling method; a small amount can be rolled with a stone roller, and a large amount can be rolled with a stone roller drawn by livestock; the second is the alkalization method: 3 kg of quicklime, 0.5 kg of salt, and 150 kg of clean water, mix and stir evenly, add 100 kg of wheat chaff, and soak for one day and one night. Scoop it into a basket, drain off the liquid, and it can be fed. After alkalization, the awns and prickles of the wheat chaff are softened, it does not injure the mouth, and it can also supplement calcium.

Wheat straw Untreated wheat straw has a high crude fiber content, an extremely low digestibility, and poor palatability; livestock do not like to eat it, and for equines it easily causes impaction, so it belongs to inferior feed. But if specially treated, by the same method as wheat chaff, it can be fed to all kinds of livestock. The second is ammoniation treatment, which can be done with ammonia water, ammonium bicarbonate, or urea. Taking urea treatment as an example: dissolve 10 kg of urea in 90 kg of clean water to make a 10% solution, chop the wheat straw to about 2 cm-3 cm long, spray and mix 30 kg of urea solution per 100 kg of wheat straw evenly, seal with plastic film, and when the temperature reaches above 20°C, it can be taken out for use after half a month; it is better for feeding ruminants such as cattle and sheep.