Energy values of triticale or sorghum distillers' dried grains with solubles and rye fed to broiler chickens.

The current experiments were conducted to determine ileal digestible energy (IDE), metabolizable energy (ME), and nitrogen-corrected ME (MEn) of triticale distillers' dried grains with solubles (TDDGS), sorghum distillers' dried grains with solubles (SDDGS), or rye for broiler chickens using the regression method. Five diets including a corn-soybean meal reference diet and 4 assay diets, prepared by adding TDDGS or SDDGS at 10 or 20% of diet to partly replace energy-yielding ingredients in the reference diet. Each of the 5 diets was fed to 8 replicate cages of 6 birds per replicate cage from d 14 to 21 post hatching. Similarly in Exp. 2, corn-soybean reference diet and 2 assay diets in which rye at 20 or 40% replaced energy yielding sources in the reference diet and each of the 3 diets was fed to 8 replicate cages of 8 birds per replicate cage from d 18 to 23 post hatching. Excreta samples were collected twice daily from d 18 to 20 in Exp. 1 or d 20 to 22 in Exp. 2, and ileal digesta were collected on d 21 (Exp. 1) or d 23 (Exp. 2). The IDE, ME, and MEn (kcal/kg DM) of TDDGS or SDDGS were derived from the regressions of TDDGS-, SDDGS-, or rye-associated, IDE, apparent ME, and apparent MEn intake in kcal against the intake of TDDGS, SDDGS or rye (X, kg DM), respectively. For diets with TDDGS substitution, regression equations were IDE = 12.3 + 3,288X, ME = -3.0 + 2,800X, and MEn = -0.4 + 2,647X. The equations for the SDDGS diets were IDE = -4.8 + 3,247X, ME = -7.6 + 3,210X, and MEn = -7.0 + 3,072X; and those for the rye diets were IDE = 9.5 + 3,002X, ME = 6.3 + 3,053X, and MEn = 4.8 + 2,928X. The IDE contents did not differ between TDDGS and SDDGS whereas the ME and MEn contents were greater (P < 0.05) in the SDDGS than in the TDDGS. In conclusion, the current study provided energy values of the DDGS sources and rye using the regression method. The regression-derived IDE for TDDGS, SDDGS, or rye were 3,288, 3,247, or 3,002 kcal/kg DM, respectively; corresponding ME were 2,800, 3,210, or 3,053 kcal/kg DM. The respective regression-derived MEn for TDDGS, SDDGS, or rye were 2,647, 3,072, or 2,928 kcal/kg DM for broiler chickens.