In northern Europe, the feeding of whole wheat as a
supplement to a concentrated compound feed for broilers
is currently a common practice. This feeding strategy
enables the broiler producer to use wheat grown on site,
which reduces feed costs. Furthermore, it has been shown
that the inclusion of whole grain prevents proventricular
dilatation and mortality related to ascites and improves
broiler performance, in particular the feed gain ratio
(Jones and Taylor, 2001; Nahas and Lefranc¸ois, 2001),
which may be related to an increased starch digestibility
(Hetland et al. 2002). Feeding wheat that is harvested
approximately 1 wk before full ripeness with a water
content above 200 g/kg and stored in an airtight silo has
been recommended to avoid expenses related to grain
drying. Furthermore, the airtight storage of wheat has
been shown to improve broiler growth and the feed conversion
ratio (Petersen, 1999). The airtight storage of barley
has been shown to increase the metabolizable energy