Abstract
The poultry litter keeps the birds comfortable and absorbs the humidity generated in the environment, reducing the feet injuries. Then, its quality is essential. The objective for carrying out the present study was to evaluate the quality of the coffee husk poultry litter, treated with chemical additives, based on its humidity, N-ammonia, pH and bacteria total counting. The experiment was carried out in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, in a coffee producer region. It were used three facilities, in which it were placed circular boxes, each of them divided in seven parts, 2 m2 each one, where it were put the different types of poultry litter, being these the seven treatments: sawdust and coffee husks litter, being this last, new and untreated or treated with different additives and reused. Twenty-two chicks were distributed in each treatment (154 birds per facility, 11 birds m-2). Litter samples were collected at 7, 21 and 42 days of birds age. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, subdivided plots. The results were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey’s test. The hydrated lime increased the pH in the initial phase (7 days) and decreased the moisture of the reused litter, compared to the new one. The gypsum reduced the pH of the litter at the end of the second phase. The N-ammonia content of the reused litter, without treatment, was superior compared to the new one, untreated and treated with lime. There was no effect on the standard counting of bacteria and on the surface temperature of the litter. Then, the use of chemical additives in the poultry litter constitutes a good strategy to control its quality, as well as the environmental conditions to produce poultry meat.
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONThe most adopted system to raise chickens for meat has been the bedding
Around the world, the most adopted system to raise chickens for meat has been the bedding
The litter for aviaries must have the function of thermal insulation, moisture absorption, dilution of urates and feces (KIM & AGBLEVOR, 2007; ÁVILA et al, 2008), must provide comfort to the birds, allowing the expression of all its genetic potential and the rate of injuries in the chest, knee and feet, caused by such litter, must be minimized (SIRRI et al, 2007; CENGIZ et al, 2011; ABREU & ABREU, 2011)
Summary
The most adopted system to raise chickens for meat has been the bedding. To pay attention on this it is a way to assure welfare to these animals, referring to its right to be free to show behavioral patterns related to the aviary litter (SHEPHERD & FAIRCHILD, 2010) Another concern, is the reduction of the concentration of pathogens in the litter in order to prevent diseases (FIORENTIN, 2006; FRASER et al, 2013). The control of the level of bacteria in the litter and the reduction in ammonia emission are first-rate cares for offering to the animals a suitable environment (BOLAN et al, 2010; ZAPATA MARIN et al, 2015). According to some results of recent researches, the reduction in the moisture content improved the litter quality by decreasing the volatilization of ammonia and changing the pH (ZAPATA MARIN et al, 2015). The heating process was kept during the first 21 days of life of the birds
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
