The nutrient content of wheat is affected by mainly genetic factors, environmental conditions and storage conditions after harvest. So, nutrient composition of this grain can be more variability than other cereals. The apparent metabolizable energy value of wheat is between 8.49 to 15.9 MJ / kg, and its crude protein content can vary between 8% and 20% depending on factors such as soil, fertilizer, climate and wheat varieties. Wheat is primarily used as human food but also it can be used as a good source of energy because of high-energy and low fiber content in poultry rations. Therefore, it is an important feed source for poultry, and sometimes constitutes more than half of all broiler finishing rations. On the other hand, starch digestion of wheat is too high in poultry, and wheat provide some advantageous for poultry nutrition, so, it can be used in rations the prices too low and produce much more than requirements. Different wheat varieties can produce differences in the growth performance of broiler chickens approximately 10%. As the reasons for these differences, genetic structure of wheat, growth period, storage time and conditions, the digestibility of nutrients, the chemical composition and feed form were focused on the in the literature. In this review, the factors that affect the nutrient composition of wheat, and the effects of wheat nutrient variability and broilers were discussed.

Wheat, nutrient content, variation, broiler, performance