Effect of dietary and litter amendment on ammonia concentration, immune status, serum biochemical and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken during rainy season

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of sodium bisulphate in litter and protease enzyme feeding on ammonia concentration, immunity status, serum biochemical parameters and carcass traits of broiler. 240 day old Vencobb broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four treatment groups, having 3 replicates of 20 chicks each. Diets were formulated as per ICAR specifications. Control group (Tc) had no dietary and litter amendments whereas experiment groups included litter amendment with sodium bisulphate @ 25 gm/sq.ft. (Ts), dietary amendment with low protein supplemented with protease enzyme @ 15000 Prot units/Kg of feed (Tp) and both dietary and litter amendment (Tsp). The results showed a significantly (P<0.05) lower ammonia concentration in the litter treated groups Ts and Tsp as compare to control group. The immune status was also better in the litter treated groups as compare to control and Tp group. There was higher dressing percentage and breast percentage in Ts group followed by Tsp, Tp and control (Tc). The total protein level was higher in Ts group birds while, the lowest level was found in Tp group at 42 day of age. All other serum biochemical parameters were within normal physiological range and differed non-significantly. It can be concluded that treatment of litter with sodium bisulphate improved protein metabolism; carcass quality and yield significantly by reducing harmful ammonia concentration in shed associated with poor litter quality during rainy season.