Wheat for Beef Cattle Rations Homer B. Sewell Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia Wheat often is a cheaper source of nutrients for beef rations than corn or other grains. Wheat is equal to corn on a weight basis for beef rations if you follow certain precautions in its use. Wheat is probably worth 8 to 10 percent more than grain sorghum on a weight basis for beef cattle.
Wheat is more variable than corn in feed value.
Protein and other nutritive values of wheat are affected by climate, variety, soil and cultural practices. The level of wheat that can be safely included in high-grain rations depends on the variety used. Variety appears to affect energy value of wheat more than type or whether wheat is hard or soft. Hard red winter wheats had higher net energy values than soft red winter varieties in some studies. But in other trials, certain soft wheat varieties were superior to hard wheats as feed for beef cattle.