Abstract
Abstract. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of litter amendment (microbiological product – Micropan complex) and straw size (unchopped and chopped straw) on pH, moisture level, ammonia emission, and footpad dermatitis in broilers. A total of 1200 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated to four treatments (2 × 2 factorial arrangement), with four replicates per treatment. Each replicate consisted of 75 as-hatched birds per pen. The first factor consisted of wheat straw – chopped (C) or unchopped (U) – and the second factor was the litter amendment with (WM) or without (OM) Micropan® (enzymatic bacterial product – Eurovix, USA). At 4, 5, and 6 weeks of the trial, the levels of ammonia concentration, moisture content, and pH of litter in each pen were measured. The foot pad lesions were evaluated at 21, 35, and 42 days of age. Broilers reared on chopped straw had significantly better leg condition as expressed by a smaller incidence and severity of footpad dermatitis. The pH value of litter was decreased and footpad quality was significantly improved by Micropan application in broilers kept on chopped and unchopped straw in the sixth week of age. There was no significant effect of Micropan application and straw size on ammonia emission in broiler housing.
Highlights
The quality of litter is a very significant factor in rearing broilers from the age of 1 day until slaughter because it affects health, productive parameters, carcass quality, and the welfare of broilers
At the fifth and sixth week of age, it was noticed that a crust formed on the surface of the litter treated with Micropan in both chopped and unchopped straw litter pens
A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of Micropan application and the straw size on ammonia emission and footpad dermatitis in broilers
Summary
The quality of litter is a very significant factor in rearing broilers from the age of 1 day until slaughter because it affects health, productive parameters, carcass quality, and the welfare of broilers. Several materials have been examined for use as broiler litter (rice hulls, ground corncobs, stump chips, pine sawdust, wood shavings, bark and chips, pine bark, clay sand, coconut husk, Guinea grass, newspaper, corn cob, wheat straw, ground rapeseed straw, and silage maize (Grimes et al, 2002; Sirri et al, 2007; Meluzzi et al, 2008; van Harn et al, 2012; Garcês et al, 2013) Each of these materials has its advantages and disadvantages, but the different particle size of these materials was seen to be the most important factor regarding paw quality and has been examined as a contributing factor in the development of footpad dermatitis (FPD) (Grimes et al, 2002). There is some evidence that the particle size of the bedding has a significant effect on FPD (Grimes et al, 2002), further evidence is needed to confirm that the chopping of the straw could positively influence the condition of footpads
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