Abstract
The main goal of the current study was to investigate the effects of feeding low protein (LP) diets on the performance parameters and excreta composition of broiler chickens. In total, 288 male Ross 308 day-old chickens were divided into two dietary treatment groups using six replicate pens with 24 chickens each. No LP diet was fed in the starter phase. The protein reduction in the grower and finisher phases were 1.8% and 2% respectively. Beside the measurements of production traits, on day 24 and 40 representative fresh excreta samples were collected, their dry matter, total N, NH4+-N and uric acid-N contents determined, and the ratio of urinary and fecal N calculated. Dietary treatments failed to cause significant differences in the feed intake, growth rate, and feed conversion ratio of animals. LP diets decreased the total nitrogen and uric acid contents of excreta significantly. The age of birds had also significant effect, resulting more reduction in the grower phase compared with the finisher. The ratio of urinary N was higher at day 40 compared with the age of day 24. The urinary N content of broiler chicken’s excreta is lower than can be found in the literature, which should be considered in the ammonia inventory calculations.
Highlights
Air quality is receiving more attention worldwide
According to the latest Hungarian air pollutant inventory report, agriculture is responsible to 92% for the total national emissions, of which about 66% takes the animal production and the ammonia emitting from the manure [3]
That the urinary N ratio of poultry excreta is less than that can be found in the literature
Summary
Among air pollutants ammonia is one of the most dangerous gases, contributing to biodiversity loss, general acidification of the environment and new type of deforestation [1]. Agriculture is the main source of ammonia emission. According to the latest Hungarian air pollutant inventory report, agriculture is responsible to 92% for the total national emissions, of which about 66% takes the animal production and the ammonia emitting from the manure [3]. According to the National Emission Ceiling Directive 2016/2284, all member countries of the European Union must reduce their national emissions of air pollutants [4]. Hungary must decrease the ammonia emission by 32% until 2030, compared with 2005-year baseline. This obligation force urgent actions both on national and farm level
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