Formulation of Broiler Chicken Feeds Using Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles

Samuel Rochell

doi:10.3390/fermentation4030064

Abstract

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is a coproduct of corn-based ethanol production that can be a valuable source of energy, digestible amino acids, and available phosphorus in poultry feeds. Dietary incorporation of DDGS reduces the amount of primary ingredients such as corn and soybean meal needed to formulate poultry diets, improving the sustainability of both biofuel and poultry production. The nutritional value of DDGS has been extensively evaluated since it became increasingly available to feed producers in the early 2000s, but evolving methods of ethanol production and coproduct fractionation necessitate its continued characterization. Attempts to relate nutrient utilization of DDGS to its chemical composition have revealed that fiber content is a primary determinant of dietary energy value of DDGS for poultry. Distillers corn oil, which is extracted from thin stillage during production of distillers grains, can also be supplemented into poultry diets as an energy-dense lipid source in place of animal fats or other vegetable-based oils. Poultry feeding practices in the United States are also evolving, including increased adoption of all vegetable-based diets and reduced use of in-feed antimicrobials. Therefore, further characterization of both the nutritional value of DDGS and its impact on gastrointestinal health will support its continued use in poultry diets.

Highlights

Poultry meat and eggs serve a critical role in meeting the demand for increasing global protein consumption
In dry-grind, corn-based ethanol production, the starch from corn is fermented to produce ethanol and the remaining corn fractions are concentrated, dried, and combined into a product known as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS)
This review will highlight research relevant to the use of current generation DDGS and distillers corn oil (DCO) in poultry feeds, with a primary focus on broiler chickens reared for meat production

Summary

Introduction

Poultry meat and eggs serve a critical role in meeting the demand for increasing global protein consumption. The production of ethanol from corn results in various coproducts that have considerable value as feed ingredients for livestock and poultry. A key concern regarding the use of DDGS in poultry diets has traditionally been the inconsistent nutrient content and availability that can exist among DDGS sources, which is largely a result of variable feedstock corn composition and processing conditions [7]. The energy content of the resulting reduced-oil DDGS is considered to be potentially lower and more variable than that of DDGS produced before oil extraction was widely adopted [8] This has necessitated further research on the nutritional value of both DCO and reduced-oil DDGS as feed ingredients for poultry. This review will highlight research relevant to the use of current generation DDGS and DCO in poultry feeds, with a primary focus on broiler chickens reared for meat production

Energy

Distillers Corn Oil as a Feed Ingredient for Poultry

Findings

The Impact of DDGS on Gastrointestinal Health of Poultry