Effects of elutriation and sieving processing (Elusieve) of distillers dried grains with solubles on the performance and carcass characteristics of male broilers

A technique combining elutriation (air classification) and sieving was developed to remove some of the fiber component of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Herein, DDGS were sieved into 4 different sizes: large, medium, small, and pan. Fiber was removed from the 3 largest sizes by elutriation via an aspirator, whereby air was blown through the different size categories at a predetermined velocity as the product was falling from the sifter, through the aspirator, and into a collection container. This air movement resulted in a portion of the lighter fiber component being blown into a separate chamber of the respirator and thus into a separate container. The DDGS product obtained by mixing the material that underwent this procedure was called “big DDGS.” The pan material, which was in the smallest size category, has a lower fiber concentration and thus underwent no elutriation (pan DDGS). Four different dietary treatments with 12 replicates each were fed to Ross × Ross 308 male broilers from hatch until 42 d of age. A cornand soybean meal-based diet without DDGS served as the control (treatment 1); treatment 2 had conventional DDGS included at a concentration of 8% (unmodified DDGS); treatment 3 consisted of 8% big DDGS inclusion (partially modified DDGS, PMD), and the fourth treatment consisted of 8% pan DDGS (ED). Final BW was observed to be superior for the birds fed the ED-based diets compared with the BW of those birds fed the control diet and the PMD-based diet. However, contrast analysis showed a significant difference in BW (P = 0.08), with birds fed ED-based diets exhibiting higher BW compared with birds fed unmodified DDGS-based diets. Feed intake was numerically higher for birds fed ED-based diets compared with all other treatments and was significantly greater for birds fed ED-based diets vs. those fed PMD-based diets for the 0to 42-d period. No other differences were found in bird performance or carcass traits. Results showed some improvement of DDGS via the use of this technology, judging by a marginal improvement in final BW.