Effects of concentration of corn distillers dried grains with solubles and enzyme supplementation on cecal microbiota and performance in broiler chickens

With the increasing production of ethanol for biofuels, a by-product of corn-based ethanol fermentation, dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) is finding its way into the feed of agricultural animals including cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, aquaculture species and horses. Corn DDGS contains very high levels of non-starch polysaccharides and could be considered a good source of fibre. Despite knowledge of the role of the fibre in modulating intestinal microbiota and consequently influencing health, there is currently little information on the interactions between DDGS and intestinal microbiota. We assessed the changes in the cecal microbiota of broilers feed rations supplemented with DDGS (five concentrations: 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24% w/w) with and without presence of digestive enzymes. DDGS concentration was strongly positively correlated (P = 3.7e(-17), r = 0.74) with feed conversion efficiency (FCR), diminishing broiler performance with higher concentrations. Additionally, DDGS concentrations positively correlated with Richness index (P = 1.5e(-3), r = 0.5), increasing the number of detectable species in the cecum. Among the most affected genera, Faecalibacterium (P = 0.032, r = -0.34) and Streptococcus (P = 7.9e(-3), r = -0.39) were negatively correlated with DDGS, while Turicibacter (P = 2.8e(-4), r = 0.52) was positively correlated with the DDGS concentration. Enzymes showed minimal effect on cecal microbiota.