Effect of different types of available litter materials on the performance and welfare of broiler chickens

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of some locally available litter materials and their impacts on productivity, health status, carcass traits and welfare as well as the economic efficiency of broiler chickens reared on these types of litter. A total of 450 unsexed one-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly distributed into equal five experimental groups, three replicates each. The groups of five different litter materials were as follow; wood shaving (WD), wheat straw (WS), sand (SL), bean straw (BS) and rice husk (RH). Physical and physicochemical characteristics of litter types were measured at 7, 21 and 42 days of age. Behavioral observation was carried out twice daily at two intervals. Productive and economic traits such as; LBW, BWG, ADG, FC, FCR, EPEI and economic efficiency per pen were measured or calculated. Further, some carcass traits and welfare parameters were measured at 42 day of age including footpad dermatitis (FPD) and feather condition score (FS). The results indicated that each type of litter had its unique physical and physicochemical characteristics and significantly (P≤0.05) affected most of the studied traits; productive performance (LBW, BWG, FI, FCR, livability %, and EPEI), economic feasibility, behavior patterns, and welfare. Compared different types of litter, WD and SL significantly (P≤0.05) improved growth performance, economic efficiency, behavior patterns, and birds' welfare. Interestingly, the SL group surpassed all other litter types groups in respect to productivity, behavior and welfare. Finally, it can be concluded that among the available litter materials tested, sand is advisable to be used as an alternative litter of straw and rice husk based litter for broiler chickens without adverse implications on birds' performance and welfare.