EFFECTS OF CORN DISTILLERS DRIED GRAINS WITH SOLUBLES ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF ARBOR ACRES BROILER BREEDER HENS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the productive performance, egg quality and reproductive parameters of commercial Arbor Acres (AA) broiler breeder hens fed different levels of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). A total of 2340 AA broiler breeder hens, 26 weeks of age, were allocated for a 14-week experimental period in a feeding trial consisting of 3 dietary treatments (0, 10, and 15% DDGS), and 4 replicates per treatment. Each replicate consisted of a group of 195 hens (male to female ratio 1: 10). All experimental diets were prepared as iso-protein (16%) and isocaloric (ME 11.7 MJ/kg) and with similar content of total sulfur amino acids, Ca and available P. The use of DDGS up to 15% in AA broiler breeder hens diet did not have adverse effects on egg production, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and egg mass (P>0.05). DDGS, also led to a significantly increased yolk color intensity (P<0.001), while having no effect on egg interior and exterior quality, especially on eggshell quality, such as egg specific gravity. Fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs were not affected by the dietary DDGS levels. Based on the results, DDGS could be included up to a level of 15% in AA broiler breeder hens’ diet without any significant detrimental effects on the egg production, egg quality and reproductive performance.