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.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in incorporating phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) into broiler chicken diets as potential alternatives to traditional growth-promoting additives. This study evaluated the economics of individually incorporating either six different dried herbs or their essential oils into broiler diets: chamomile, rosemary, lavender, oregano, thyme, and St. John's wort. A total of 390 day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly divided into 13 groups of 30 chicks with three replicates (10 chicks/replicate). One group received a basal diet (control group), while the others received a basal diet supplemented with 2% of each dried herb (E1-E6 groups) or 0.02% of their essential oils (E7-E12 groups) for 39 days. The parameters measured were feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, feed costs, economic efficiency and European Broiler Index (EBI). The results showed better economic efficiency with 2% dried St. John's wort herb, as well as 0.02% St. John's wort, rosemary, thyme or lavender essential oils compared to the other treatments (P0.05). Unsatisfactory results were observed with dry lavender herb and essential oils of chamomile or oregano, which resulted in a significant decrease in net income and economic efficiency due to higher feed costs per kilogram live weight (P0.05). These results suggest that while certain PFAs can improve economic efficiency, their overall effect is variable and some may not outperform traditional growth promoters.

Maize and wheat are the main cereal forage crops cultivated at a global scale. They are among preferred forage grains for poultry nutrition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the productive performance of broiler chickens, whose compound feeds contained either maize, or wheat alone and maize +wheat combination. The experiment was performed with 120 day-old male ROSS hybrid chicks reared on the floor for 49 days. The birds were divided into three groups, each one consisting of two subgroups, as follows: group Е1 – fed forage with maize and wheat; group Е2 – fed forage with wheat and group Е3 – forage with maize. The live weight, feed intake, feed conversion and slaughter traits were investigated. By the 49th day of age, the live weight of chickens from groups Е1 and Е2 fed diet with maize and wheat (35.99%+28%), and only wheat without maize (66%) were the heaviest, 3147.18 g and 3361.32 g, respectively. Chicks from group E3 fed the diet containing only maize (64.12%) without wheat had the lowest average live weight (2587.75 g at Р<0.0001). Wheat, as a single cereal in broiler compound feeds, and its combination with maize had the most beneficial effect on weight gain and feed conversion over the entire fattening period (P<0.001). The improved weight gain of birds fed these diets was accompanied with higher feed intake (P<0.001) compared to birds fed forage with maize only. The slaughter yield and the breast with bone cut increased statistically significantly in the wheat-fed groups (P<0.001).

The interest in water purification technologies in animal husbandry has significantly increased. This necessitates seeking and investigating different methods for processing the water for consumption in poultry farming. For this reason, our research was aimed at evaluation of the effects of different types of treated water on growth performance of broiler chickens, slaughter traits and some meat physicochemical parameters. The experiment included 300 day-old male Ross 308 chickens, divided into 5 groups (each group with three replications with 20 chicks), and reared until 49 days of age. Depending on the type of tested water, the birds were distributed in the following groups: group I (control) received tap water; group II received water purified by reverse osmosis; group III received magnetic water; group IV – received hydrogen water; group V received alkaline water. At the end of the experiment, a trend for higher live weight was observed in the experimental groups receiving alkaline water and reverse osmosis water, with differences compared to the control group ranging from 5.99% to 7.28%, respectively (P=0.054).The effects of hydrogen and magnetically treated water on final live weight were small and insignificant (P>0.05). A significantly higher slaughter yield was reported in all experimental groups (P<0.05). The groups that received water treated with osmosis, hydrogen and alkaline water had a significantly higher carcass weight. No significant differences were found in the other parameters - thigh, breast, wings, gizzard and heart. No significant between-group differences in the physicochemical properties of the meat were demonstrated throughout the experiment.

In the production of the ethanol from cereal grains, besides the main product which is ethanol, there are olso very valuable by-product that can be used as animal feed. The dried distilled grains with solubles (DDGS) is quite rich in protein and other nutrients. With the ever-increasing cost of soybeans and corn, many scientists are studying the possibilities of using DDGS in poultry nutrition. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of including corn DDGS and corn DDGS and probiotic in compound feeds on productive, slaughter performance and some meat physicochemical parameters of broiler chickens under floor-rearing conditions. The experiment included 3 treatments (T), namely T1: the control group received a balanced compound feed, according to the requirements of the hybrid, without the participation of corn DDGS, T2: the diett contained 15% corn DDGS and T3: the dietts contained 15% corn DDGS and supplemented 500g probiotic/ton of feed. Each experiment had 20 one-day-old sexed male Ross-308 broiler chickens, replicated 3 times, and ended when the chickens were 35 days old. The results shown that diets T2 and T3 did not positively affect the weight development of chicks compared to T1 (the control group). At 35 days old, chicken weight from the control group outperformed the two experimental groups: by 8.45% in the T3 (corn DDGS and probiotic) and by 11.76% in the T2 (corn DDGS) at P<0.05. Differences in feed consumption per 1 kg of growth over the 35-day fattening period between the control and experimental groups were small and statistically unproven. Feeding diets with 15% DDGS from corn significantly reduced carcass weight, grill, thight and wing weight in broiler chickens. There were no significant differences in slaughter yield between the study groups. Diets T2 and T3 improved the water holding capacity (WHC %) of breast meat in broilers (at P< 0.001). The lowest loss in thermal processing (cooking) was observed in breast and thigh meat of chickens fed the diets with 15% corn DDGS and probiotic (P<0.05).

The aim of the present experiment was to study the effect of including 15% of wDDGS without and with probiotic-B-Act in the combined feeds for broiler chickens on the performance, carcass characteristics and physicochemical parameters of the meat under floor rearing conditions. To achieve this aim, 3 groups of 60 one-day-old male broiler chickens Ross – 308 were formed (one control and two test), with each group had three subgroups of 20 chickens. The chickens in the control group received balanced, according to the requirements for the hybrid, combined feeds, without wDDGS. The first experimental group received a ration with the participation of 15% wDDGS from one day of age until the end of the experiment (35 days of age). The second experimental group was fed a ration with 15% wDDGS, and a probiotic at a dose of 500 g/ton of feed from one day of age until the end of the experiment. In this study, we found a positive effect on weight from the first to 10 days of growth and a negative effect of the inclusion of 15% wDDGS without probiotic, and 15% wDDGS with probiotic on daily weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of broiler chickens during the period from 11 to 35 days of growth. We did not find proven differences between the main characteristics of the carcass in the studied groups of chickens. It was found that the inclusion of 15% wDDGS with a probiotic improves some physicochemical parameters of meat.