Formulation of broiler chicken feeds using distillers dried grains with solubles

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.