The Challenge of Improving the Energy of DDGS with Supplemental Enzymes

The tremendous growth of the ethanol industry is making increasing amounts of Dried Distillers Grains plus Solubles (DDGS) available to the poultry industry. Studies at the Poultry Science Department of the University of Georgia and elsewhere have characterized the nutrient composition of this ingredient, including it's level of metabolizable energy. This parameter is of major importance due to the increase in cost of corn and fat, traditional major sources of energy in feeds. As the metaboli...zable energy of DDGS is significantly lower than that of corn (1275 vs. 1545 kcal/lb, or 2800 vs. 3400 kcal/kg), questions have been raised about the feasibility of increasing the caloric value of DDGS through the use of supplemental enzymes. At present, several concerns in this regard need to be addressed.