Dried Distillers Grain with Solubles in Laying Hen and Pullet Rations

A study was conducted to test the inclusion rates of corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in laying hen diets on egg production (EP) parameters for a full production cycle. Two hundred eighty-eight Bovan Single Comb White Leghorn laying hens were fed diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25% DDGS from 24 to 46 wk and 47 to 76 wk of age for Phase I and Phase II, respectively. The diets were formulated to be isocaloric at 2,775 kcal/kg and 2,816 kcal/kg ME, and isonitrogenous at 16.5 and 16.0% CP for Phases I & II, respectively. Nutrient retention of both N and P were determined by the indicator methods during Phase II. Diets were replicated with 8 pens/treatment and 6 hens/pen in an unbalanced randomized complete block design. Average daily feed intake (ADFI), EP and overall weight gain were similar among treatments during the study. Egg wt. was (P = 0.064) affected by DDGS treatment during Phase I. Hens fed 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25% DDGS had an average egg w/g of 60.6, 60.4, 60.8, 60.0, 59.0, and 59.0 respectively. But, no differences were detected in egg weight during Phase II. Yolk color increased with increasing DDGS level with the highest Roche score of 7.2 for hens fed 25% DDGS. Nitrogen and P retention was greater in hens fed 25% DDGS. Also, N and P excretion was decreased as levels of DDGS increased linearly. In summary, feeding DDGS up to 25% during EP cycles had no negative effects on feed intake, EP, haugh units, and specific gravity; and improved yolk color at the highest levels. However, increasing DDGS level beyond 37 15% caused a reduction in egg weight during Phase I of egg production; however, no differences were observed in egg weight during Phase II. Nitrogen and P excretion were lower at higher inclusion rate of DDGS. Hens fed 25% DDGS had the highest N retention.