Utilization of distillery by-products in poultry diet : the nutritional implications and strategies for improving the nutritional value

Abstract

Distillers’ dried grains (DDG), Distillers’ dried grain with solubles (DDGS), Distillers’ dried solubles (DDS), condensed Distillers’ solubles (CDS) etc. are produced as by-products of fermentation of cereal grains like rice, wheat, sorghum, maize etc. for ethanol production. The starch portion of cereal is used up in the fermentation leaving the residual DDG/DDGS rich in protein and other nutrients. The typical nutritional profile of DDGS is 35-40% crude protein with good amino acid profile, 2900-3000 kcal ME/kg and low fibre content. However, since the DDGS is a collection of fermented remains of broken cereal grains, it is prone for mycotoxin contamination. Further, large variation in nutritional profile of DDGS is reported as the processing conditions employed and the raw material used varies widely from plant to plant. Thus there is a need to evaluate the feeding value of DDGS for chickens and explore strategies for increasing its level of inclusion by countering the antinutritional principles/variations in nutritional profile due to the differences in production processes that are currently in vogue in the country.