ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to determine the net energy (NE) of wheat-corn distillers dried grains with solubles (wcDDGS) using the comparative slaughter (CS), the indirect calorimetry (IC) and the chemical composition (CH) methods. Based on the CS method, NE values of 2,407, and 2,424 kcal/kg DM were obtained for wcDDGS included at 15% and 30%, respectively. For the IC method, the NE values of 2,407, and 2,403 kcal/kg DM were obtained for wcDDGS included at 15% and 30%, respectively; corresponding values for the CH method were 2,536 and 2,197 kcal/kg DM, respectively. It is concluded that NE value of wcDDGS ranges from 2,367 kcal/kg DM to 2,416 kcal/kg DM depending on the method used. As the values obtained from the various methods were not different, the average NE value for the wcDDGS evaluated was 2,396 ± 25.71 kcal/kg DM.

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to determine the net energy (NE) of wheat-corn distillers dried grains with solubles (wcDDGS) using the comparative slaughter (CS), the indirect calorimetry (IC) and the chemical composition (CH) methods. Based on the CS method, NE values of 2,407, and 2,424 kcal/kg DM were obtained for wcDDGS included at 15% and 30%, respectively. For the IC method, the NE values of 2,407, and 2,403 kcal/kg DM were obtained for wcDDGS included at 15% and 30%, respectively; corresponding values for the CH method were 2,536 and 2,197 kcal/kg DM, respectively. It is concluded that NE value of wcDDGS ranges from 2,367 kcal/kg DM to 2,416 kcal/kg DM depending on the method used. As the values obtained from the various methods were not different, the average NE value for the wcDDGS evaluated was 2,396 ± 25.71 kcal/kg DM.

Based on ongoing research, the poultry industry is utilizing increasingly more wheat distillers dried grains with solubles (wDDGS) as a feed ingredient. High fiber in wDDGS is a major factor contributing to reduced nutrient intake and digestion of nutrients in the diet. Hence, the research conducted looks at emerging technologies (e.g., enzymes and/or feed processes (extrusion) and/or wet feeding) to overcome the limitations in diets containing higher levels of WDDGS. The dietary treatments were evaluated by monitoring turkey performance and utilization of the nutrients. All dietary treatments in the respective experiments were formulated to meet or exceed the nutrient requirement of the Hybrid Converter turkey standards. With the exception of experiment 2 (0-72d) test diets were fed from 7-21d. In Experiment 1, 0 and 30% wDDGS diets were supplemented with protease (P+; 0.126 g/kg) or β-mannanase (M+; 0.05g/kg); further, diets containing 0, 10, 20 and 30% wDDGS with no enzyme were compared. A positive (P<0.05) main effect of 30% was reported for 21d body weight (BW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). A significant main effect [21d apparent metabolizable energy (AME); 30%] and interactions [(enzymes x levels (0 and 30%); 21d AME and nitrogen retention (NR)] were found. A quadratic (P<0.01) response was found for FCR, that was superior for 30%. A quadratic (P<0.01) response was also found for both NR and AME; both were highest for 10% wDDGS diets. In Experiment 2, diets containing 0, 15 and 30% wDDGS with no enzyme were compared; further, the 30% wDDGS diet was supplemented with enzymes (protease or β-mannanase). Water intake per pen was monitored beginning at 7 d. There was no effect of dietary treatment on overall feed intake (FI) and body weight (BW). Total feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P<0.05; 0-72d) was significantly improved for birds fed 30% wDDGS regardless of enzyme treatment compared other dietary treatments. There were trends for higher water intake (mL/b/d) with 30%P+ diets as compared to the other diets. The higher water intake may be a factor of the higher fiber in this diet, but it was exacerbated by only the protease enzyme. Experiment 3 evaluated the effect of extrusion (EX) and an enzyme cocktail (E; 0.5g/kg) on wDDGS. Diets containing 0, 15 and 30% wDDGS with/without enzyme were tested; further, the 15 and 30% wDDGS with/without EX and E were compared. There was no effect of EX or E on BW and FI. Feeding higher WDDGS (30%) depressed performance, but an improved NR and AME was recorded. In Experiment 4, a small study was conducted to evaluate if wet feeding (WF; 1.2 mL water: 1.0 g feed) of diets with 30% wDDGS would impact turkey poult performance. The WF significantly improved BW, FI and FCR. It is apparent from these studies that high levels of WDDGS were not detrimental to overall performance. The high levels of wDDGS with no loss of production would result in a higher demand of wDDGS for use in turkey diets. Overall, we saw no improvements in performance with individual supplementation of protease, β-mannanase or an enzyme cocktail. Neither was extrusion of wDDGS beneficial. Voluntary feed consumption is improved when diets are wetted before feeding.

The objective of this thesis was to evaluate inclusion of up to 35% by-product DDGS (with reduced Ca and P) with and without addition of a proprietary premix (enzyme and antioxidant; Alltech Inc.) on productive performance and egg quality of white and brown egg laying hens. A total of 288 white or brown hens were randomly allocated to one of the following treatments: 1) corn-soybean meal (control), 2) 25% DDGS, 3) 25% DDGS plus premix, 4) 35% DDGS, and 5) 35% DDGS plus premix. Hen body weight values were impaired with addition of 25 and 35% DDGS when compared to the control. Premix helped maintain body weight comparable to control in the brown hens; however was not noted in white hens. In the second dietary phase, addition of DDGS increased feed intake in white egg laying hens and was maintained with the premix. Brown hens on premix came into lay faster than the control and DDGS diets, but DDGS reduced overall egg production. Haugh units, yolk color, and purchase intent scores were increased in brown eggs with DDGS diets. White eggs had increased yolk color with DDGS. In conclusion, up to 35% DDGS is acceptable in white laying hen diets.

The objective of the experiments conducted for this dissertation was to determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) in a variety of feed ingredients for broiler chickens and pigs. The effects of casein in experimental diets on the SID of AA in corn distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) fed to pigs were evaluated. The SID of AA in feed ingredients, which include full-fat soybean (FFSB), two soybean meals (SBM), peanut flour (PNF), full-fat canola seeds (FFCS), canola meal (CM), canola expellers (CE), hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM), flash dried poultry protein (FDPP), poultry meal (PM), and meat and bone meal (MBM), were compared in broiler chickens and pigs. One of the studies determined the ileal digestibility of AA in casein by regression analysis and investigated the effects of 60 g/kg casein in experimental diets on the SID of AA in DDGS. The ileal digestibility of AA in casein were close to 100%, ranging from 95.5% (SE = 9.10) for Cys to 103.1% (SE = 4.40) for Arg. In addition, the SID of Lys and Phe in DDGS determined by pigs fed the diet containing DDGS and casein were greater (<i>P</i> < 0.05) than the values determined by pigs fed the diet containing DDGS without casein. Based on the results of this experiment, two additional experiments were conducted to determine the effects of graded concentrations of casein from 55 to 165 g/kg in experimental diets on the SID of AA in DDGS and to determine the effects of dietary DDGS concentrations (i.e., 155.6 or 466.8 g/kg) and addition of casein in experimental diets on the SID of AA in DDGS. The SID of indispensable AA, except for Arg and Lys, linearly decreased (<i>P</i> < 0.05) as the concentration of casein in experimental diets increased. Moreover, pigs fed the diets containing 155.6 g/kg DDGS had less (<i>P</i> < 0.05) SID of indispensable AA, except for Trp, in DDGS than those fed the diets containing 466.8 g/kg DDGS regardless of the addition of casein in experimental diets. Therefore, it may be concluded that the addition of casein improves the SID of AA in DDGS, but reduced DDGS concentration in experimental diets decreases the SID of AA in DDGS. In one pair of experiments conducted to compare the SID of AA in FFSB, SBM containing 430 g/kg crude protein, SBM containing 470 g/kg crude protein, and PNF between broiler chickens and pigs, the SID of AA, except for Trp, Ala, and Glu, in test ingredients for pigs were greater (<i>P</i> < 0.05) than the values for broiler chickens. In addition, in both broiler chickens and pigs, the SID of Ile, Leu, and Val in FFSB were less (<i>P</i> < 0.05) than in the other test ingredients. In another pair of experiments conducted to compare the SID of AA in FFCS, CM, and CE between broiler chickens and pigs, interactions (<i>P</i> < 0.05) between experimental diets and species were observed in the SID of AA, except for Lys, Gly, Pro, and Ser. The SID of AA in FFCS for broiler chickens were greater (<i>P</i> < 0.05) than pigs; however, there was no difference in the SID of AA in CM or CE between broiler chickens and pigs. The objective of a third pair of experiments was to compare the SID of AA in HFM, FDPP, PM, and MBM fed to broiler chickens and pigs. There were interactions (<i>P</i> < 0.05) between experimental diets and species in the SID of His, Thr, Trp, and Val. In broiler chickens, the SID of His, Thr, and Trp in FDPP and PM were greater (<i>P</i> < 0.05) than in HFM but were less (<i>P</i> < 0.05) than MBM; however, difference in SID of His, Thr, and Trp among FDPP, PM, and MBM was not observed in pigs. Based on the results of three pairs of studies, it was revealed that differences in SID of AA in common feed ingredients for both broiler chickens and pigs were affected by species. Therefore, it may be concluded that the effects of feed ingredient-specific factors on the SID of AA are different between broiler chickens and pigs.

Arabinoxylans (AX’s) are the predominant non-starch polysaccharides found in the structural matrix of cell walls in wheat grains, being present in large quantities in wheat bran, accounting for up to 25% of its composition. Their physicochemical properties define their functionality which can be beneficial in cereal-based products such as bread, where their addition could enhance the gluten matrix responsible for the aerated structure and quality of bread. Bioethanol production has grown rapidly, however, to be economically viable, cereal-derived first generation biorefineries need to adopt the process integration approaches employed in petrochemical refineries, and exploit the interaction opportunities arising from multiple product streams. A potential source of AX is its extraction from the wheat bran based low value animal feed produced as an end product of the bioethanol distillation process. The benefits of extraction are twofold, to enhance feed nutritional value by reducing fibre content and produce a high value product for use as a functional ingredient in the breadmaking industry. Extraction of AX involves precipitation with ethanol, giving opportunity for integration and economic extraction in the context of a bioethanol plant. Currently no commercial supply of AX is available in sufficient quantities to conduct functionality trials; therefore the objective of the current work was to study the feasibility of extracting AX from animal feed and, by developing a scaled-up extraction process based on that of Hollmann and Lindhauer (2005) and Du et al. (2009), to produce sufficient quantities to conduct functionality trials into its effects on the breadmaking process. Two animal feeds, representative of contrasting biorefinery operations, were used for AX extraction, Distillers’ Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) and C*Traffordgold®, with water and alkaline AX being extracted from each. Monosaccharide analysis of the feedstocks confirmed the presence of arabinoxylans, with DDGS containing 12.5% AX and TG 13% AX, with A/X ratios of 0.55 and 0.61, respectively. The purity of AX extracted at both lab scale and on scale up was consistent, with 29.5% and 23% extracted at lab scale and 30% and 25% extracted in the scaled up process for WEAX from DDGS and TG, respectively. The purity of AEAX was lower, with 18% and 14% at lab scale and 15% and 14% for scale up for DDGS and TG, respectively. The results indicate that the same purity of crude extract can be achieved at both lab and larger scale extraction, however lower yields and absolute yields were observed at scale up and anticipated to be due to the crude nature of the process, which needs further optimisation. Addition of crude AX extracts to bread dough gave insights into its effects and potential benefits and issues. The type and origin of AX was found to affect bread dough characteristics in different ways. WEAX from both DDGS and TG exhibited effects on all stages of the breadmaking process, by improving stability and reducing softening at mixing, and slowing proving allowing the dough to retain a better aerated structure, leading to an open aerated finished loaf structure. AEAX from both types of animal feed generally caused destabilization of gas cells and coalescence, resulting in loaves with a tighter crumb structure. The AX dosage appeared to have a non-linear effect, with some positive changes at 1% addition turning to negative changes when added at 2%. This work has provided insights into the functionality of AX in bread dough, and a process has been developed to allow greater than lab scale production of arabinoxylan. The effects of AX need to be understood more clearly to retain beneficial effects, whilst supressing detrimental ones, preferably while avoiding the need for extensive purification. The work supports the possibility for AX extracts to be produced commercially as bread ingredients that could enhance bread structure and nutritional quality, and provides an elegant solution for synergy between two wheat-based industries serving both the food and non-food needs of society.