Four successive experiments were carried out to study the effects of different treatments on the nutritive quality of 4 samples of wheat. The treatments used were autoclaving, freezing, water-soaking, acid-soaking, boiling in water, and combinations of these treatments. Metabolizable energy values of the various samples of treated and untreated wheat were determined using 2-3 weeks old chickens. Nitrogen retention from diets containing the different wheat samples was also measured. Autoclaving of wheat samples for 60 min. at 15 lb pressure markedly increased the nutritive quality of wheat as measured by metabolizable energy values. Freezing at -4°C for 5 days resulted in significant improvement in the metabolizable energy value of the samples of wheat treated in this manner. Water- or acid-soaking did not improve the metabolizable energy values of the wheat samples. The different treatments did not affect the percentage nitrogen retention from diets containing the treated wheat. Prolonged heating (autoclaving for 90 min. and 120 min. at 15 lb pressure) reduced the energy values of wheat as well as the percentage nitrogen retention. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate