Millet is a collective term for seeds from a variety of crops including pearl millet, foxtail millet, and proso millet. Pearl millet is the most widely grown of the millets. It was first grown in Africa but is now raised in many different parts of the world.

he protein content of pearl millet varies depending on cultivation conditions, but is typically higher than in corn. The essential amino acid profile of pearl millet is also more balanced than corn. In addition, pearl millet has a higher oil content than the other common cereal grains and is a better source of linolenic acid. In research broilers fed diets containing up to 50% pearl millet performed as well, or better, than broilers fed typical corn-soybean meal diets.

Pearl millet is a relatively small grain making grinding it difficult. As a result, pearl millet is typically rolled rather than ground. Unfortunately, the necessary equipment is not available in some feed milling plants. This is often the case with smaller feed mills. Research has shown that up to 10% whole pearl millet seeds can be incorporated into pelleted broiler diets without adversely affecting broiler performance.