A 10-wk layer feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of high quality corn distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on performance, egg qualities, and yolk fatty acid composition. The economics of using DDGS in the Korean situation was also analyzed. A total of 216 Hy-line Brown layers, 23-wk of age, were employed in this trial consisting of three dietary treatments (0%, 10%, and 20% DDGS), and six replicates per treatment. All experimental diets were prepared as iso-protein (17%) and iso-calorie (2,780 kcal/kg). The use of DDGS up to 20% in layer diets did not affect the feed intake, laying rate, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio (P>0.05). At 5th and 10th wk of the trial, the eggshell color, albumen height, and Haugh unit were not influenced by the DDGS supplementation. At 5th wk of the trial, the eggshell qualities, like eggshell weight, eggshell thickness, and eggshell strength, were not affected by the DDGS feeding; however, these eggshell qualities were decreased at 10th wk due to the 20% DDGS feeding (P<0.05). Yolk color of DDGS 20% increased compared to DDGS 0% at 5th and 10th wk of the trial (P<0.05). At 10th wk, yolk/egg ratio of DDGS 20% decreased compared to DDGS 0% (P<0.05). The yolk fat content was not changed due to DDGS feeding. The monounsaturated fatty acid content of yolk decreased linearly by feeding DDGS (P<0.05). The yolk polyunsaturated fatty acid content of DDGS 20% increased significantly compared to DDGS 0%. The DDGS feeding was not found to affect the degree of yolk fat unsaturation. The cost of feed (\/kg feed) decreased as the level of DDGS increased. The production costs of egg (\/kg egg) were cheap in the order of DDGS 10%, DDGS 20%, and DDGS 0%, indicating that DDGS is a viable alternative feed ingredient to corn and soybean meal. In conclusion, high quality DDGS (L * 61.72) could be used economically up to 20% level without any harmful effect on laying performance: however, the use of DDGS up to 10% is more economical than DDGS 20%. (Key words : corn distiller's dried grains with solubles, layer, laying rate, egg quality, yolk fatty acid composition, economics) † To whom correspondence should be addressed : leebd@cnu.ac.kr

A dose-response experiment was conducted to determine the lysine requirement for broiler breeder hens during pre-peak production. Totally, one hundred and twenty-six flock 23-week-old Ross 308 broiler breeder hens with similar body weight were selected (2,188±32 g) for a 6-week experiment. Hens were fed with a basal diet of corn-wheat-soybean meal formulated to achieve the Ross 308 breeder nutrient specifications (2016), except for lysine. The 7 graded, daily lysine intake levels used in this experiment were 732, 785, 838, 891, 944, 997, and 1,050 mg, and hens were restricted to 133 g of feed throughout this experiment. Pen based egg production were recorded once a day and all eggs were weighed daily. Age at sexual maturity was determined when the hens attained age at 25% production. Body weight at 23∼29 weeks of age was not affected (P>0.05) by lysine levels. By fitting a linear-plateau model, the daily lysine requirements for feed conversion ratio, total produced egg weight, and age at sexual maturity at 23∼29 weeks of age were estimated as 865, 907, and 891 mg, respectively. Using a quadratic-plateau model, the daily lysine requirement at 23∼29 weeks of age were estimated as 974, 964, and 950 mg for feed conversion ratio, total produced egg weight, and age at sexual maturity, respectively. These results suggested that the daily lysine requirement for modern broiler breeder hens according to the National Research Council (1994) are insufficient for higher total produced egg weight, sexual maturity, and feed efficiency, and 120% of the NRC recommendation level would improve hen productivity when data are fitted under linear-and quadratic-plateau models.(Key words: broiler breeders, linear-plateau model, lysine requirement, quadratic-plateau model)