Biofuels and Broilers --- Competitors or Cooperators

The rapid increase in production of ethanol from corn and other grains and biodiesel from various fats and oils has resulted in growing quantities of byproducts from these industries, primarily distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) from the ethanol industry and glycerol from biodiesel production. The use of DDGS in poultry and swine diets is not new, but the supply of product encourages the use of higher percentages than has typically been used in the past. As greater quantities are used in the diet, it becomes increasingly essential that accurate nutrient values be assigned to the product. This review attempts to summarize results from various laboratories to provide a nutrient matrix that can be used to evaluate the potential use of DDGS in poultry feeds. Glycerol from biodiesel production has had limited use in animal feeds but results from recent feeding trials indicate that it can be useful as a pure energy source at levels up to 5% of the diet.