Nutritional value of high protein ingredients fed to growing pigs in comparison to commonly used protein sources in swine diets

Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that two high protein dried distillers with solubles and yeast mass added (GDDY) products fed to growing pigs had comparable amino acid (AA) digestibility and metabolizable energy (ME) to feeds commonly used in swine diets. In experiment 1, seven barrows with an initial body weight (BW) of 25 ± 0.8 kg were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum to allow for digesta collection. Experimental diets were N-free diets and six cornstarch-based diets containing six ingredients as the sole source of AA: spray dried GDDY, ring dried GDDY, corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), soybean meal (SBM), enzymatically treated soybean meal (ESBM), and fish meal (FM) provided at 4% of BW. The experiment was conducted as a 7 × 7 Latin square design with seven collection periods of 7 d (5 d adaptation and 2 d ileal digesta collection). In experiment 2, a total of 28 barrows (28.8 ± 1.4 kg BW) were used in a two-period switch-back design with seven diets and four replicate pigs in each period (n = 8 reps per diet). Experimental diets were a corn-based basal diet and six corn-based diets containing spray dried GDDY, ring dried GDDY, DDGS, SBM, ESBM, and FM. Fecal and urine samples were collected using the marker-to-marker approach for 5 d after 7 d of adaptation to determine ME concentration. Overall, standardized ileal digestibility (SID) values were within the mean ± SD of NRC (2012) values for all ingredients evaluated. The SID of AA was greater (P < 0.05) in ESBM than the other protein feedstuffs (90.09% vs. 78.71%-81.51%). There were no significant differences in SID of AA (P > 0.05) in SBM, FM, spray dried GDDY, and ring dried GDDY (81.49%, 78.71%, 81.52%, and 79.20%). With respect to the most common first limiting AA for swine, the SID of Lys was greater (P < 0.05) in spray dried GDDY than ring dried GDDY and DDGS (83.56% vs. 77.33% and 68.53%, respectively). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) for ME in corn (3,313 kcal/kg), ESBM (3,323 kcal/kg), and FM (3,454 kcal/kg) when compared with spray dried GDDY and ring dried GDDY (3,995 and 3,442 kcal/kg respectively). However, spray dried GDDY had greater DE and ME when compared to SBM. Collectively, this study demonstrates that GDDY products have an AA profile and digestibility comparable to SBM; ME in GDDY products is not different from corn. Therefore, GDDY has the potential as a feed ingredient for pigs, which could provide an alternative source of protein and energy in swine diets.

A New Method to Overcome Carboxyamide Formation During AFEX Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass

Lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) in the plant cell wall are responsible for providing resistance against biomass-degrading enzymes produced by microorganisms. Four major types of lignin-carbohydrate bonds are reported in the literature, namely, benzyl ethers, benzyl esters, phenyl glycosides, and acetyl ester linkages. Ester’s linkages in the plant cell wall are labile to alkaline pretreatments, such as ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX), which uses liquid or gaseous ammonia to cleave those linkages in the plant cell wall and reduce biomass recalcitrance. Two competing reactions, notably hydrolysis and ammonolysis, take place during AFEX pretreatment process, producing different aliphatic and aromatic acids, as well as their amide counterparts. AFEX pretreated grasses and agricultural residues are known to increase conversion of biomass to sugars by four- to five-fold when subjected to commercial enzyme hydrolysis, yielding a sustainable feedstock for producing biofuels, biomaterials, and animal feed. Animal feed trials on dairy cows have demonstrated a 27% increase in milk production when compared to a control feedstock. However, the presence of carboxamides in feedstocks could promote neurotoxicity in animals if consumed beyond a certain concentration. Thus, there is the need to overcome regulatory hurdles associated with commercializing AFEX pretreated biomass as animal feed in the United States. This manuscript demonstrates a modified pretreatment for increasing the digestibility of industrial byproducts such as Brewer’s spent grains (BSG) and high-fiber meal (HFM) produced from BSG and dry distillers grains with soluble (DDGS), while avoiding the production of carboxamides. The three industrial byproducts were first treated with calculated amounts of alkali such as NaOH, Ca(OH)2, or KOH followed by AFEX pretreatment. We found that 4% alkali was able to de-esterify BSG and DDGS more efficiently than using 2% alkali at both 10 and 20% solids loading. AFEX pretreatment of de-esterified BSG, HFM, and DDGS produced twofold higher glucan conversion than respective untreated biomass. This new discovery can help overcome potential regulatory issues associated with the presence of carboxamides in ammonia-pretreated animal feeds and is expected to benefit several farmers around the world.

A new approach to recycling cephalosporin fermentation residue into plant biostimulants

Cephalosporin fermentation residue (CFR), a byproduct of the pharmaceutical industry, mainly contains the mycelial biomass and unutilized culture medium, which can be reused as a high-quality protein source. This study first reports the recycling CFR into plant biostimulants using partial acid hydrolysis. Temperature, reaction time and ratio of hydrochloric acid/dry matter (H/S) were optimized for yielding both free amino acid and low molecular weight fraction based on response surface methodology. The crude protein concentration of CFR is 55%, with glutamic acid being the dominant amino acid (12.5%). Two favorable hydrolysis conditions were obtained: (1) 140 °C, 10.7 h, 17 H/S for maximizing the amino acid yield of 45.5 g/100 g CFR dw and (2) 100 °C, 10.7 h, 19 H/S for maximizing the low molecular weight fraction of 28.2%. The CFR-derived biostimulants obtained from two optimum conditions possessed two biostimulant modes of action: plant growth promotors/inhibitors and stress alleviators. However, they showed the differences in aminograms and profiles of low molecular weight compounds. Neither residual cephalosporin C nor its byproduct was detected in the CFR-derived biostimulants, suggesting that partial acid hydrolysis appears capable of recycling CFR into plant biostimulant safely.

Expeller-Pressed Canola (Brassica napus) Meal Modulates the Structure and Function of the Cecal Microbiota, and Alters the Metabolome of the Pancreas, Liver, and Breast Muscle of Broiler Chickens

The inoculation of one-day-old broiler chicks with the cecal contents from a mature broiler breeder resulted in a highly diverse and uniform cecal bacterial community. CM did not affect feed consumption, weight gain, nor the richness, evenness, or diversity of the cecal bacterial community. However, the structure of the bacterial community was altered in birds fed the CM diet. Although the CM diet was formulated to contain equivalent metabolizable energy to the control diet, it contained more dietary fiber. The abundance of bacterial families, including those that are known to contain species able to metabolize fiber was altered (e.g., bacteria within the families, Methanobacteriaceae, Atopobiaceae, Prevotellaceae, Clostridiales Family XIII, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Succinivibrionaceae), and concentrations of SCFAs were higher in the ceca of birds fed the CM diet. Moreover, concentrations of isoleucine, isobutyrate, glutamate, and 2-oxoglutarate were higher, whereas concentrations of phenyllactic acid, indole, glucose, 3-phenylpropionate, and 2-oxobutyrate were lower in the digesta of chickens that were fed CM. The metabolic profiles of pancreas, liver, and breast muscle tissues of birds fed the CM diet differed from control birds. Metabolites that were associated with energy production, protection against oxidative stress, and pathways of amino acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism had altered concentrations in these tissues. Some of the observed changes in metabolite levels may indicate an increased disease risk in birds fed the CM diet (e.g., pancreatitis), and others suggested that birds mounted metabolic response to offset the adverse impacts of CM (e.g., oxidative stress in the liver).

Brassica napus and Brassica juncea extruded-expelled cake and solvent-extracted meal as feedstuffs for laying hens: Lay performance, egg quality, and nutrient digestibility

Two experiments evaluated feeding Brassica (B.) napus (canola) or B. juncea co-products to brown-shelled egg laying hens. In Exp. 1, diets including 20% B. napus or B. juncea extruded-expelled cakes (NC, JC) or solvent-extracted meals (NM, JM) compared to a control diet with no Brassica co-products, were fed to 120 hens (4 hens/cage, n = 6) for 36 wk. In Exp. 2, DM, gross energy, CP and amino acid (AA) retention/digestibility was determined by feeding diets containing 30% B. napus or B. juncea cakes or meals and basal diet to 240 hens (8 hens/pair of cages, n = 6) for 7 d. Cakes averaged 40 g/kg lower moisture, 28 g/kg lower CP, and 84 g/kg greater fat content compared with meals. In Exp. 1, there was no effect of diet on lay percentage or BW throughout the experiment. Feed consumption was 3.5 g/d lower in layers fed JM compared with controls and egg: feed was reduced by 14 mg egg/g feed in layers fed JC (P < 0.01). Although eggs from layers fed NM were 0.7 g heavier than controls, eggs from layers fed NC, JM or JC were 1.4 g lighter than controls (P < 0.01). Eggs from layers fed Brassica diets contained a greater proportion (1.6%-points) of monounsaturated fatty acids compared with controls (P < 0.01). Eggs from layers fed B. juncea had a relatively greater proportion (0.2%-points) of C18:3 (n3) compared with those of layers fed B. napus diets (P < 0.01). Feeding Brassica diets reduced digestibility of DM (5%-points), gross energy (7%-points) and CP (4%-points) vs. basal (P < 0.01). The digestibility of indispensable AA except tryptophan, was reduced feeding Brassica diets vs. basal (P < 0.01). We concluded that feeding B. napus and B. juncea extruded-expelled cakes and solvent-extracted meal at 20% of diets to hens supported acceptable lay performance and egg quality over a 36 wk production cycle. Digestibility data indicated that indispensable AA in Brassica co-products had moderately high (75 to 85%) apparent ileal digestibility.

Nutrient content and digestibility of different batches of wheat distillers dried grains with solubles for laying hens

1. Four batches of wheat distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) produced by a single production plant were used to investigate variation in digestible energy (DE) and nutrient digestibility for laying hens. 2. A total of 144 Hy-Line Brown laying hens were allocated to eight treatment groups in replicates of six. Experimental diets were prepared by replacing the basal feed with either 150 g/kg or 300 g/kg of each batch of DDGS. 3. Chemical analysis of the DDGS showed variation between the different batches. Largest coefficients of variation were observed for starch (0.546) and total soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP; 0.276). 4. Digestible energy and the nutrient digestibility of each diet was measured using the ileal collection technique. Data were statistically analysed as a blocked 2 × 4 factorial design analysis of variance (ANOVA). 5. Variability between the different diets were observed for digestible energy and the digestibility of certain nutrients (P < 0.05). 6. The observed differences in energy utilisation and nutrient digestibility in laying hens suggested that the feeding quality of diets containing different wheat DDGS batches produced by a single production plant may still have large variation.

Evaluation of inclusion level of wheat distillers dried grains with solubles with and without protease or β-mannanase on performance and water intake of turkey hens

It is becoming a common practice to use higher levels of wheat distillers dried grains with solubles (wDDGS) in poultry diets. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of level of inclusion of wDDGS with or without enzyme (E-, i.e., wDDGSE-) supplementation on performance and water consumption of turkey hens (0 to 72 d). Two diets (0 or 30% wDDGS) were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of Hybrid Converter turkeys. Diets (0 or 30% wDDGS; starter, grower, and finisher) were then blended to obtain a different level of inclusion (15%) of wDDGS. The 30% wDDGS diet was divided into 3 fractions and 2 fractions supplemented with either protease (P+, i.e., wDDGSP+; 0.126 g/kg) or β-mannanase (M+, i.e., wDDGSM+; 0.05 g/kg). All 5 diets were fed ad libitum as mash. The 700 0-d turkey hens were randomly allocated into groups of 35 birds per replicate with 4 replicate floor pens per treatment, in a completely randomized design. Water consumption per pen was recorded beginning at 7 d. There was no effect of dietary treatment on feed intake. BW of turkey hens (52 d; grower) was significantly higher for 30% wDDGSP+ as compared to 0% wDDGSE- or 15% wDDGSE- diets; but was not different from 30% wDDGSE- or 30% wDDGSM+ diets. FCR (P < 0.01; 28 to 52 d), and total FCR (P < 0.05; 0 to 72 d) was significantly improved for birds fed 15 or 30% wDDGS regardless of enzyme treatment compared to 0% wDDGSE-. Water intake (WI, in mL per bird per day) tended to be higher (P = 0.08) between 7 and 28 d for 30% wDDGSP+ diets compared to other treatments. Similarly, WI of birds fed 30% wDDGSP+ was higher (P < 0.05; 28 to 52 and 52 to 72 d) and total WI (P = 0.07; 7 to 72 d) tended to be higher than other treatments. This study is the first to report the impact of wDDGS on WI. As high as 30% wDDGS can be substituted in turkey hen diets. No effect of P+ or M+ at the inclusion level tested was found on performance.

The effects of extrusion of wheat distillers dried grains with solubles with or without an enzyme cocktail on performance of turkey hen poults

Two experiments were conducted to determine if extrusion (EX) or enzymes (E) could overcome the restrictions (e.g., high fiber) of feeding wheat distillers dried grain with solubles (wDDGS) and improve its nutritional value for feeding turkeys. Two starter diets with either 0 or 30% wDDGS were formulated to meet or exceed the nutrient requirements of the Hybrid Converter female turkeys. The 30% wDDGS diet was substituted with either non-extruded (EX-) or extruded (EX+) wDDGS to produce three basal diets [0% wDDGS (EX-) or 30% wDDGS (EX-/EX+)]. Diets were blended to obtain 15% wDDGS. In the respective treatments, only wDDGS was extruded (temperature; 118°C, retention; 15 sec, total moisture; 25% and pressure 33 bar). The respective experimental diets were supplemented with/without an enzyme cocktail (E; 0.5 g/kg). Test diets were fed from 7-21 d in a completely randomized design. In Experiment 1, a total of 210 turkey hen poults were fed diets containing 0, 15, or 30% wDDGS (EX-) with or without enzyme (E+/E-). Body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) were significantly higher for 0% wDDGSE-. Nitrogen retention (NR) and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) for the 30% wDDGSE- was significantly higher than other treatments at 21 d. The results indicated significant main effects of E and an interaction between wDDGS level and E. In Experiment 2, 280 turkey hen poults were fed 8 diets [15/30% wDDGS (E+/E-), (EX-/EX+)]. The level of wDDGS had a significant effect on BW, FI and gain:feed; 15% inclusion was superior to 30%. There were significant 2- and 3-way interactions for AME and NR at 21 d due to differences in enzyme response with 15 or 30% wDDGS inclusion and/or extrusion of wDDGS. As high as 15% wDDGS can be incorporated in turkey hen diets. There were no beneficial effects of EX or E on poult performance.

Effect of feeding a commercial ammonia binding product De-Odorase™ on broiler chicken performance

Ammonia production in commercial poultry sheds poses a problem for farmers as high levels can affect animal's respiratory health, resulting in hock and foot pad lesions and thereby affecting performance. A study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of whole, chopped and dried Yucca schidigera (De-Odorase™, Alltech Inc, USA) to reduce ammonia excretion from broilers and investigate the impact on broiler performance. Nine hundred and two, one-day-old Cobb broilers were randomly assigned to one of two diets, without (control) or supplemented with 500 g/t De-Odorase™. Birds fed the treatment diet had significantly higher body weight (P < 0.05) at 42 d and improved FCR (P < 0.05). Significant reductions in ammonia from litter were reported at 37 and 42 days old (P < 0.05 and P < 0.1, respectively). No significant differences were seen in foot pad, gait score, feather score or carcass data; although the birds fed De-Odorase™ had consistent numerical improvements in these parameters. The results of this study suggest that feeding whole, chopped and dried Yucca schidigera as a functional ingredient in the diet can be part of an ammonia management programme to improve broiler welfare and zootechnical performance.

The correlationship between the metabolizable energy content, chemical composition and color score in different sources of corn DDGS

Background

This study was conducted to evaluate the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and true metabolizable energy (TME) contents in 30 sources of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in adult roosters, and establish the prediction equations to estimate the AME and TME value based on its chemical composition and color score.

Methods

Twenty-eight sources of corn DDGS made from several processing plants in 11 provinces of China and others imported from the United States. DDGS were analyzed for their metabolizable energy (ME) contents, measured for color score and chemical composition (crude protein, crude fat, ash, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber), to predict the equation of ME in DDGS. A precision-fed rooster assay was used, each DDGS sample was tube fed (50 g) to adult roosters. The experiment was conducted as a randomized incomplete block design with 3 periods. Ninety-five adult roosters were used in each period, with 90 being fed the DDGS samples and 5 being fasted to estimate basal endogenous energy losses.

Results

Results showed that the AME ranged from 5.93 to 12.19 MJ/kg, TME ranged from 7.28 to 13.54 MJ/kg. Correlations were found between ME and ash content (-0.64, P < 0.01) and between ME and yellowness score (0.39, P < 0.05) of the DDGS samples. Furthermore, the best-fit regression equation for AME content of DDGS based on chemical composition and color score was AME = 6.57111 + 0.51475 GE - 0.10003 NDF + 0.13380 ADF + 0.07057 fat - 0.57029 ash - 0.02437 L (R² = 0.70). The best-fit regression equation for TME content of DDGS was TME = 7.92283 + 0.51475 GE - 0.10003 NDF + 0.13380 ADF + 0.07057 fat - 0.57029 ash - 0.02437 L (R² = 0.70).

Conclusions

This experiment suggested that measuring the chemical composition and color score of a corn DDGS sample may provide a quality parameter for identifying corn DDGS sources energy digestibility and metabolizable energy content.

Xylanase supplementation improves the nutritive value of diets containing high levels of sorghum distillers' dried grains with solubles for broiler chickens

BACKGROUND

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of sorghum distillers' dried grains with solubles (sDDGS) and xylanase supplementation in broiler chicken diets. A total of 432 Cobb-500 day-old male broiler chicks were used in a 4 × 2 factorial design (0, 100, 200 or 300 g kg(-1) sDDGS with or without xylanase supplementation). Each treatment was replicated six times with nine birds per replicate in a 35 day study.

RESULTS

Feed intake was increased (P < 0.001) throughout the study with the inclusion of dietary sDDGS. Body weight gain (BWG) was unaffected except for the last 2 weeks of study, when birds that received 200 and 300 g kg(-1) sDDGS had higher (P < 0.001) BWG. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased (P < 0.05) as sDDGS in the diet rose to 100 g kg(-1) during the starter phase and the whole period of study. Over the starter period, xylanase supplementation improved (P < 0.05) FCR, particularly for the highest inclusion of sDDGS. Protein digestibility deteriorated (P < 0.001) as sDDGS in the diet rose to 300 g kg(-1) . Xylanase reduced (P < 0.001) the concentration of xylose in the ileum of birds. The activities of sucrase and maltase in the jejunal mucosa were reduced when birds were offered 200 and 300 g kg(-1) sDDGS. Incorporation of sDDGS increased (P < 0.01) the total short-chain fatty acid concentration in the caeca.

CONCLUSION

The results showed that diets containing large amounts of sDDGS will benefit from xylanase supplementation, particularly in terms of FCR.