Microstructure of grains as an indicator ofnutritive value

The gross chemical contents of grains explain most, but not all, of the variation in their nutritive value for livestock. It is believed that the microstructural features of grains may be responsible for this unexplained part of the variation. A light microscopy technique combined with differential staining has been used in the grain industry for some time to study the structures of starch granules, protein matrix and protein bodies, and cell wall architecture. In this paper, the application of this technique in nutritional studies will be introduced and some preliminary data presented.