The Type of Floor and its Impact on the Growth, Physiological and Performance of Broilers

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the effect of floor type on the growth, some physiological characteristics and welfare standards for broilers. 120 unsexed one-day-old ROSS 308 broiler chicks were used. The study included two groups with three replicates (20 birds for each replicate). The first treatment, the birds were raised on the Rice husks litter, and the second treatment the birds were raised on a wire floor, 15 cm high. Feed and water were provided freely throughout the study period. The results showed that raising broilers on different floor type did not show significant differences in body weight, weight gain rate and feed conversion factor between groups, and significant differences were found in feed consumption in favor of the second treatment at the age of 21 days, and no significant differences appeared in the standards of productive performance. for broilers at the age of 38 days, and there were no significant differences in the percentage of dressing, the relative weight of the internal organs and the concentration of ammonia NH3 gas, while rearing on the wire floor reduced the concentration of carbon dioxide Co2 and raised the body temperature of the birds raised on the wire floor, there was a significant improvement in measures of well-being, the incidence of inflammation of the hock burn and footpad dermatitis. The biochemical and hormonal characteristics were not significantly affected when raising birds on wire floor, and there was an improvement in the level of antioxidants in the bird’s body through an increase in GSH. We conclude from this study that raising broilers on the wire floor did not affect the productive performance, but it improved the status of antioxidants and welfare standards for broilers.