A randomized complete block design with 3 replications (n=144) was utilized to evaluate the effects of feeding distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS; 0% control and 8%) on broiler breast and thigh meat quality. Electrical stunning was performed, and broiler carcasses were scalded, picked, and eviscerated using commercial prototype equipment. At 4 h postmortem, carcasses were removed from the chill tank and breast and thigh removal was performed. Color, pH, cooking loss, and shear force values were measured on breasts that were removed from the right side of the carcass. Breasts removed from the left side of the carcass were utilized for sensory testing. Thigh meat was evaluated for TBA reactive substances and fatty acid composition. On average, no differences (P>0.05) existed among the DDGS and control treatment with regards to color (CIE L*, a*, b*), ultimate pH, cooking loss, and shear values. In addition, no differences (P>0.05) existed among treatments regarding the acceptability of texture, but the control treatment was slightly preferred (P<0.05) over the DDGS treatment with respect to flavor and overall acceptability. However, both treatments received scores of "like moderately" on the hedonic scale, and consumers who liked the chicken breasts "moderately" or "very much" (over 50% of the panelists) did not differentiate between the 2 treatments. In addition, in a sensory difference test, consumers could not differentiate (P>0.05) between the control and DDGS treatment. Fatty acid composition varied slightly (P<0.05) between treatments. The DDGS treatment had a greater (P<0.05) percentage of linoleic and total polyunsaturated fatty acids, indicating that it may be slightly more susceptible to oxidation. Overall, data suggest that both feeding treatments yielded high-quality breast and thigh meat with minimal product differences.

The purpose of this study was to understand the needs and relationship of Ile and Val, the most likely candidates to become fourth limiting amino acids in practical broiler formulas. Broiler chicks were fed a diet adequate in all nutrients that served as positive control (PC). A second diet served as negative control (NC), was formulated to resemble the nutrient amounts of the PC, and was supplemented with various crystalline amino acids but not with l-Ile and l-Val, and therefore, no nutrient minimums were given to Ile or Val in the formula. The other treatments fed were as follows: NC plus 0.15% Ile, NC plus 0.15% Val, NC plus 0.075% Ile and 0.075% Val, and NC plus 0.15% Ile and 0.15% Val. Diets were fed in crumble form from placement until 21 d of age. A total of 1,080 Ross x Ross 708 males chicks were randomly allotted into 72 floor pens (15 chicks/pen), and each treatment was replicated 12 times. Individual supplementation with Val, but not Ile, to the NC diet resulted in BW gain of chicks equal to those fed the PC diet (P<0.005). Feed conversion values of chicks supplemented with Val or Ile, or both, resulted in an improvement, but for this variable it would appear that Val and Ile were both equally needed (P<0.001). Responses observed for plasma concentrations of total protein and albumin suggest that Val may be warranted before Ile (P<0.02). Overall responses indicate that Val was the fourth limiting amino acid under these dietary conditions but may reach a point where Ile becomes co-limiting judging by the response observed with feed conversion.

A completely randomized design with 7 replications (n = 7, treatments = 5 with 8 subsamples per treatment) was used to evaluate the effects of feeding various levels of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS; 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24%) on broiler breast and thigh meat quality. Broilers were harvested in a pilot scale processing plant with commercial prototype equipment at 42 d of age. The right half of each breast was evaluated for pH, instrumental color, cooking loss, proximate analysis, and tenderness. The left half of each breast was used for consumer acceptability testing. Thigh meat was evaluated for proximate composition, fatty acid composition, and TBA reactive substances. Breast meat from broilers that were fed DDGS had a higher (P < 0.05) pH than those from the control diet. In addition, the 18 and 24% DDGS treatments yielded breast meat with higher (P < 0.05) pH values than the 6% DDGS treatment. No differences existed (P > 0.05) among breast meat from the different treatments with respect to cooking loss, instrumental color, and consumer acceptability, but breast meat from the control (0% DDGS) treatment had slightly lower (P < 0.05) shear force than breast meat from the 18 and 24% DDGS treatments. In addition, no differences (P > 0.05) existed among proximate composition of breast and thigh meat from the control and DDGS treatments. As DDGS concentration increased, there was a linear increase (P < 0.05) in linoleic and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which indicates a greater potential for lipid oxidation. The TBA reactive substances values were greater (P < 0.05) for the 18 and 24% DDGS treatments at d 5 when compared with the control and 6% DDGS treatments, which indicates increased oxidation. Overall, data suggest that all treatments yielded high-quality breast meat and that thigh meat quality was similar among treatments containing 0 to 12% DDGS, but higher inclusion levels led to thigh meat that was more susceptible to oxidation.

This study evaluated the effect of 2 levels (0 vs. 8%) of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in a starter broiler diet (0 to 14 d; 45 replicates/treatment) after these same birds were subsequently fed a grower diet (14 to 28 d) with either 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5, or 30% DDGS (9 replicates/treatment). Ross×Ross 308 male broilers were used in this experiment, and evaluation criteria consisted of feed mill parameters, broiler growth, relative liver weight, ileal viscosity, and cecal content count of Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli analyzed by both selective media and real-time PCR. Increased inclusion of DDGS resulted in a nonlinear response for production rate (P<0.05), conditioner energy usage (P<0.01), and pellet mill energy usage (P<0.05). Increasing DDGS resulted in a linear decrease in pellet quality (P<0.001) and an increase (P<0.001) in total fines. Inclusion of DDGS decreased (P<0.001) energy usage at the pellet mill and decreased (P<0.05) bulk density of the diets. The DDGS levels fed during the starter phase (0 vs. 8%) had no effect on the broilers at 14 or at 28 d of age. Increasing DDGS inclusion levels during the grower phase resulted in a linear decrease (P<0.001) in BW gain and liver relative weight (P<0.001). A DDGS starter×grower interaction (P<0.05) was observed for feed consumption, in which birds that consumed no DDGS during the starter phase exhibited a decrease in feed consumption with the higher inclusion levels of DDGS during the grower phase, whereas birds that received 8% DDGS during the starter phase were unaffected by DDGS inclusion level in the grower phase. Feed conversion, mortality, ileal viscosity, and cecal C. perfringens and E. coli concentrations were unaffected by DDGS level in the grower diet. The feed intake response suggests a beneficial effect of exposing broiler chicks to DDGS if inclusion levels of 22.5% or higher are to be fed after 14 d of age. However, the data suggest that the young broiler can be negatively affected with inclusion levels of 15% DDGS or higher up to 28 d of age.

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1. The dietary limitation of isoleucine (Ile) and valine (Val) was evaluated in broilers. Common diets were given to all broilers from 0 to 28 d of age. Experimental diets were provided from 28 to 42 d of age. 2. The experimental test diet was based primarily on maize, soybean meal, and meat and bone meal, and formulated to satisfy all nutrient recommendations with the exception of Ile and Val. 3. Diets were supplemented with L-Ile and L-Val at either 0·5 or 1·0 g kg⁻¹ of diet, alone or in combination. A diet composed only of commercially available amino acids and formulated to satisfy all nutrient requirements served as a positive control. 4. Body weight gain was depressed by the test diet, but recovered to a weight similar to birds fed on the positive control when Val was added to the test diet either alone or in combination with Ile. Feed efficiency improved when Val and Ile were simultaneously supplemented. 5. Abdominal fat yield was reduced with the combined supplementation of Val and Ile. Breast meat yield appeared to be more sensitive to Ile supplementation than to Val. 6. The results suggest that live performance may be more sensitive to Val, while breast meat yield was maximised with Ile supplementation. However, their combination is required for optimised growth and meat yield.