As feed costs continue to escalate, by-products from the food and fuel ethanol industries can provide alternative, more cost- effective ingredient options for the nutritionist. The use of DDGS in animal feed has increased with the growth of the bioethanol industry. Whilst DDGS is potentially a cost effective and valuable feed ingredient, there are certain anti-nutritional factors which can limit its use in pig and poultry feed.

Dr Alexandre Péron, Technical Services Manager, Danisco Animal Nutrition, presented two posters which outlined how the latest developments in enzyme technology can improve the nutrient digestibility of pig and poultry diets containing DDGS.

A trial conducted by Auburn University, USA, showed that adding both a new-generation bacterial phytase (Phyzyme® XP) together with xylanase, amylase and protease enzymes (Avizyme® 1502) to corn-soy based broiler diets containing 10% corn DDGS improved bodyweight gain by 5-12% and feed efficiency by 3-5%.

Similarly in pigs, a trial showed that adding both the new-generation phytase (Phyzyme® XP) together with a highly effective xylanase (Porzyme® 9300) to a corn-soy based diet containing 20% corn DDGS significantly improved digestible energy by 5.6% (175 kcal/kg, 0.73 MJ/kg), ileal amino acid digestibility by 4-8% and increased phosphorus digestibility from 22% to 51%.