Effect of different treated and untreated litter materials of production performance of broiler

Abstract

An experiment was carried out with 288 straight-run broiler chicks (Cobb 500) using different litter materials (treated and untreated) to compare the production performance of broiler at 28 days. The experimental unit were assigned to 6 dietary treatments i.e.T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 among which T1, T3 and T5 were treated group (treated with aluminum sulfate i.e. alum) and T2, T4 and T6 were untreated group. Each treatment had 4 replications with 12 birds each. The live weight was statistically significant at 4 week of age. The highest live weight was attained at the birds of treatment group T1 at 4 th week of age. Feed consumption per bird were highest in the treatment group T4 and lowest on the birds of treatment group T1 at 4 th th week of age. Feed conversion ratio showed significantly different. The higher feed efficiency value (1.61) was recorded in treatment T5 whereas lower (1.83) in treatment T6. The survivability percentages of broilers at different treatment group were statistically non-significant. The value of pH and ammonia are related to each other. By increasing the value of ammonia increased the value of pH. Higher pH and ammonia value was found in untreated groups. The cost of litter per bird and cost of litter per kg live weight gain differed from each other. It is evident from the study that rice straw was more economic than saw dust and rice husk. From the above findings it might be concluded that the performances of broiler are more or less similar but rice straw was economic among the types studied followed by saw dust and rice husk.