The effect of corn distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) fortified with enzyme on growth performance of broiler

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of corn distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and enzyme supplementation on growth performance and carcass yield in broiler chickens. The experiment was a 5 × 3 factorial design with 450 broiler chickens and with diets containing five levels of DDGS (0, 6, 12, 18, and 24%) and three levels of the enzymes (no supplementation, Rovabio® enzyme, and Tomoko® enzyme). Five pens with six chicks were fed an experimental diet from 0 to 35 days of age. Diets containing 12, 18, and 24% DDGS decreased performance (P < 0.05) at the start of the trial at 0–10 days. Inclusion of enzyme during 0–10 days improved body weight gain (BWG) and European production efficiency factor (EPEF) (P < 0.05). During the grower (11–24 days) and finisher (25–35 days) periods, chickens which had received 0, 6, or 12% DDGS converted feed to body weight more efficiently (P < 0.05). Enzyme supplementation improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) for the periods (11–24 and 25–35 days, respectively) (P < 0.05). The cumulative performance results (0 to 35 days of age) showed that Tomoko enzyme improved FCR as compared to no enzyme while Rovabio was intermediate (P < 0.05). Chickens which had received 0, 6, or 12% had better FCR (P < 0.05) compared to 18 or 24% DDGS. Chick’s performance was depressed at early age when the diet contained 12% DDGS but later, they were able to tolerate higher levels of DDGS. The study indicate that a maximum level of DDGS to use in the starter diets is 6% and it could be increased in the grower and finisher period to 12% and enzyme supplementation to diets containing DDGS can improve FCR and growth performance in broilers.