DDGS is an excellent, lower cost alternative feed ingredient that continues to be produced in large quantities by the dry-grind fuel ethanol industry. The high energy, protein, and phosphorus content of DDGS make it a very attractive partial replacement for some of the more expensive traditional energy (corn), protein (soybean meal), and phosphorus (mono- or dicalcium phosphate) ingredients used in animal feeds.
When DDGS is added to animal feeds that are properly formulated, it provides excellent animal health, performance, and food product quality. These attributes, and others, have made DDGS one of the most popular feed ingredients to use in animal feeds around the world.
Corn DDGS can be included in dairy cow diets up to 20 percent of the diet without decreasing dry matter intake, milk production, and percentage milk fat and protein. Adding 20 to 30 percent DDGS to a lactating cow diet also results in milk production being equal to, or greater than when diets containing no DDGS are fed. Milk fat percentage varies among various studies, but was not significantly changed by the inclusion of distiller’s grains in the diet. Milk protein percentage is decreased when more than 30 percent DDGS is added to the diet.
When formulating diets containing DDGS for lactating dairy cows, consideration should be given to type of forage, forage to concentrate ratio, crude fat content of DDGS, and the need for supplemental crystalline lysine to achieve optimal performance. Corn DDGS can be effectively used in a total mixed ration by lactating dairy cows under heatstressed climatic conditions making it a valuable feed ingredient for use in dairy rations in subtropical and tropical regions of the world.
Corn DDGS is an excellent energy and protein source for beef cattle in all phases of production. It has 102 percent to 127 percent the energy value of dry-rolled corn and can be effectively used as an energy source and fed up to 40 percent of ration dry matter intake for finishing cattle with excellent growth performance and carcass and meat quality. However, at this high DDGS feeding rate, cattle will consume excess protein and phosphorus.
Corn DDGS is an excellent feed ingredient for use in layer, broiler, duck, and turkey diets and contains approximately 85 percent of the energy value of corn for poultry. Conservatively, DDGS can be added at 5 to 8 percent of starter diets for broilers and turkeys, and 12 to 15 percent of diets for layers and growing-finishing diets for broilers, ducks, and turkeys when diets are not formulated on a digestible amino acid basis, and achieve excellent performance and egg and meat quality.