The production of grain-based bioethanol is increasing due to the rising demand for biofuels and the global decline in fossil fuel sources. Distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) from corn or wheat are the main by-product of bioethanol fermentation, primarily through dry milling technology, and have been used as low-cost animal feed. With the increase in ethanol production from grains, the production of DDGS from corn or wheat also increases. Several studies have found that DDGS has high nutritional value but variable composition, and researchers have found ways to enhance its quality and safety. Various approaches have been proposed to improve the digestibility and nutritional value of DDGS. However, despite its high nutritional value, DDGS has not yet been fully studied and is less utilized in broiler feeding. The benefits and risks associated with the use of DDGS have been studied for a long time, but more research is needed to establish quality and safety standards for DDGS. This review aims to highlight the challenges of using DDGS in broiler chicken nutrition.

This study investigated the effects of feeding corn distillers' dried grains with solubles (corn DDGS) with or without probiotic supplementation on performance, egg quality and serum biochemical parameters of laying hens aged 22 to 33 weeks. A total of 240 brown-egg laying hens (RIR × RIW) were allocated to four dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design, with two levels of DDGS (0% and 15%) and two levels of probiotic (0% and 0.05% B-act®). Hens fed diets containing 15% DDGS showed reduced feed intake by 3.22%, final body weight by 2.91%, average egg weight by 2.34% and egg mass output by 9.67% compared to those fed 0% DDGS (P<0.05). The inclusion of DDGS significantly (P0.05) laying performance, their combination with DDGS significantly improved eggshell thickness and yolk pigmentation at 32 weeks of age (P0.05), except for a synergistic interaction that increased serum albumin levels in hens receiving both (P<0.05). These findings indicate that the addition of 15% DDGS enhances egg quality but may negatively affect overall performancе. Probiotic supplementation complements DDGS by improving eggshell and yolk quality. Further research is needed to optimise the use of DDGS and probiotics in laying hen diets to maximise productivity.

The prediction of chicks? weight before hatching is an important element of selection, aimed at improving the uniformity rate and productivity of birds. With this regards, our goal was to develop and evaluate optimum models for similar prediction in two White Plymouth Rock chickens lines - line L and line K on the basis of the incubation egg weight and egg geometry characteristics - egg maximum breadth (B), egg length (L), geometric mean diameter (Dg), egg volume (V), egg surface area (S). A total of 280 eggs (140 from each line) laid by 40-weekold hens were randomly selected. Mean arithmetic values, standard deviations and coefficients of variation of studied parameters were determined for each line. Correlation coefficients between the weight of hatchlings and predictors were the highest for egg weight, geometric mean diameter, volume and surface area of eggs (r=0.731-0.779 for line L; r=0.802-0.819 for line ?). Nine linear regression models were developed and their accuracy evaluated. The regression equations of hatchlings? weight vs egg length had the lowest coefficient of determination (0.175 for line K and 0.291 for line L), but when egg length and breadth entered the model together, its value increased significantly up to 0.541 and 0.665 for lines L and K, respectively. The weight of day-old chicks from line L could be predicted with higher accuracy with a model involving egg surface area apart egg weight (ChW=0.513EW+0.282S - 10.345; R2=0.620). In line ? a more accurate prognosis was attained by adding egg breadth as an additional predictor to the weight in the model (ChW=0.587EW+0.566? - 19.853; R2=0.692). The study demonstrated that multiple linear regression models were more precise that single linear models.

The effect of sex-linked dwarf gene was investigated through comparison of dwarf hens with their full-sib normal sisters obtained by mating heterozygous males (DW/dw) to normal females (DW/_) from line F (used as maternal form for production of slow-growing colored chickens) with respect to the following traits: body weight, shank and keel length at 40 weeks of age, age of sexual maturity (at 50 % production), egg production, egg weight, feed intake, feed utilization, livability, fertility, hatchability and egg quality characteristics. The results demonstrated that the dw gene caused statistically significant reduction of body weight by 29.15 %, shank length by 20.17 %, keel length by 7 % and egg weight by 5.72 % (p<0.001). The hens with normal genotype attained sexual maturity 7 days earlier (p<0.001), but nevertheless, rate of lay was similar to that of mini forms. There were no considerable differences between both genetic groups with respect to livability percentage over the production cycle. Dwarf hens consumed by 23.38 % less feed (p<0.01) than normal sized hens and converted nutrients more efficiently by 12.69 % (p<0.05). The presence of dw gene in hen genotype increased the eggshell percentage, reduced egg yolk and albumen weights and had no effect on their quality. The positive effect of the sex-linked dwarf gene on economically important traits - feed intake and feed conversion, hatchability of eggs set, is a prerequisite for the development of more efficient broiler breeder hens for production of slow-growing chickens.