Performance, carcass yield and litter quality of broilers raised on litters treated with micro-organisms / Desempenho, rendimento de carcaça e qualidade da cama de frangos criados em cama tratada com micro-organismos

The present paper aimed at evaluating the effect of adding beneficial micro-organisms to the litters on litter quality, performance and carcass yield for broilers. A total of 240 one-day chicks were used, and randomly distributed in blocks with four treatments and four replications. The following treatments were carried out in the housing: Treatment 1 - Control with weekly spraying of water on the litters; Treatment 2 - Litter treated with a mixture of inoculated and fermented meal by micro-organisms and weekly spraying of water; Treatment 3 - Litter treated by weekly spraying of micro-organisms; Treatment 4 - Litter treated with the same mixture of meals from treatment two and weekly spraying of micro-organisms. Performance was evaluated by the feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion, viability and carcass, breast and leg yield. From litter samples, pH, dry matter, ashes and nitrogen were evaluated. No differences were found among the treatments. In the conditions the animals were raised, it can be concluded that the treatment on the litter does not affect performance, carcass yield and quality of the litter for broilers.(AU)

O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito da adição de micro-organismos benéficos na cama sobre o desempenho, rendimento de carcaça e a qualidade da cama de frangos de corte. Foram utilizados 240 pintos de um dia de idade distribuídos em um delineamento em blocos casualizados com quatro tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram: Tratamento 1 - Controle com aspersão de água na cama no alojamento e semanalmente; Tratamento 2 - Cama tratada com uma mistura de farelos inoculados e fermentados por micro-organismos no alojamento e aspersão de água na cama semanalmente; Tratamento 3 - Cama tratada por aspersão de micro-organismos no alojamento e semanalmente; Tratamento 4 - Cama tratada com a mesma mistura de farelos do tratamento 2 no alojamento e aspersão de micro-organismos no alojamento e semanalmente. O desempenho foi avaliado pelo consumo de ração, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar, viabilidade e rendimento de carcaça, peito e pernas. Das amostras de cama foram avaliados o pH, a matéria seca, cinzas e nitrogênio. Não foram verificadas diferenças entre os tratamentos. Nas condições em que os animais foram criados, pode-se concluir que o tratamento da cama não altera o desempenho, o rendimento de carcaça e a qualidade da cama de frangos de corte.(AU)

Performance, carcass yield and litter quality of broilers raised on litters treated with micro-organisms / Desempenho, rendimento de carcaça e qualidade da cama de frangos criados em cama tratada com micro-organismos

The present paper aimed at evaluating the effect of adding beneficial micro-organisms to the litters on litter quality, performance and carcass yield for broilers. A total of 240 one-day chicks were used, and randomly distributed in blocks with four treatments and four replications. The following treatments were carried out in the housing: Treatment 1 - Control with weekly spraying of water on the litters; Treatment 2 - Litter treated with a mixture of inoculated and fermented meal by micro-organisms and weekly spraying of water; Treatment 3 - Litter treated by weekly spraying of micro-organisms; Treatment 4 - Litter treated with the same mixture of meals from treatment two and weekly spraying of micro-organisms. Performance was evaluated by the feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion, viability and carcass, breast and leg yield. From litter samples, pH, dry matter, ashes and nitrogen were evaluated. No differences were found among the treatments. In the conditions the animals were raised, it can be concluded that the treatment on the litter does not affect performance, carcass yield and quality of the litter for broilers.

O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito da adição de micro-organismos benéficos na cama sobre o desempenho, rendimento de carcaça e a qualidade da cama de frangos de corte. Foram utilizados 240 pintos de um dia de idade distribuídos em um delineamento em blocos casualizados com quatro tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram: Tratamento 1 - Controle com aspersão de água na cama no alojamento e semanalmente; Tratamento 2 - Cama tratada com uma mistura de farelos inoculados e fermentados por micro-organismos no alojamento e aspersão de água na cama semanalmente; Tratamento 3 - Cama tratada por aspersão de micro-organismos no alojamento e semanalmente; Tratamento 4 - Cama tratada com a mesma mistura de farelos do tratamento 2 no alojamento e aspersão de micro-organismos no alojamento e semanalmente. O desempenho foi avaliado pelo consumo de ração, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar, viabilidade e rendimento de carcaça, peito e pernas. Das amostras de cama foram avaliados o pH, a matéria seca, cinzas e nitrogênio. Não foram verificadas diferenças entre os tratamentos. Nas condições em que os animais foram criados, pode-se concluir que o tratamento da cama não altera o desempenho, o rendimento de carcaça e a qualidade da cama de frangos de corte.

Effect of floor type (dirt or concrete) on litter quality, house environmental conditions, and performance of broilers

This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the use of concrete or hard-packed dirt floor in broiler houses. This experiment was carried out in two different phases. The following performance parameters were studied: live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality. Litter moisture, pH and temperature were measured. Litter residual contamination after cleaning and disinfection was also evaluated. A dry bulb thermometer, a wet bulb thermometer, and a black bulb thermometer were placed inside each broiler house at bird height and outside the broiler house for data collection. Environmental data were collected at 3h intervals from 00:00 to 24:00 hours during weeks 4, 5, and 6 of the grow-out. Based on the collected data, air relative humidity (RH) was determined, after which wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and Radiant Heat Load (RHL) were calculated. There were no differences in live performance parameters. However, total mortality and sudden death were higher in birds raised on dirt floor. On days 0, 14 and 35, litter pH was higher in the dirt floor as compared to the concrete floor, but at the end of the grow-out, this difference disappeared. There was a cubic effect of bird age on litter moisture, which increased up to day 28, and then stabilized or decreased. Litter coliform contamination was higher at the end of the grow-out as compared to that found at housing, but it was not influenced by floor type. The general thermal comfort of broiler raised on dirt floor was similar to that of broilers raised on concrete floor.(AU)

Effect of floor type (dirt or concrete) on litter quality, house environmental conditions, and performance of broilers

This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the use of concrete or hard-packed dirt floor in broiler houses. This experiment was carried out in two different phases. The following performance parameters were studied: live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality. Litter moisture, pH and temperature were measured. Litter residual contamination after cleaning and disinfection was also evaluated. A dry bulb thermometer, a wet bulb thermometer, and a black bulb thermometer were placed inside each broiler house at bird height and outside the broiler house for data collection. Environmental data were collected at 3h intervals from 00:00 to 24:00 hours during weeks 4, 5, and 6 of the grow-out. Based on the collected data, air relative humidity (RH) was determined, after which wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and Radiant Heat Load (RHL) were calculated. There were no differences in live performance parameters. However, total mortality and sudden death were higher in birds raised on dirt floor. On days 0, 14 and 35, litter pH was higher in the dirt floor as compared to the concrete floor, but at the end of the grow-out, this difference disappeared. There was a cubic effect of bird age on litter moisture, which increased up to day 28, and then stabilized or decreased. Litter coliform contamination was higher at the end of the grow-out as compared to that found at housing, but it was not influenced by floor type. The general thermal comfort of broiler raised on dirt floor was similar to that of broilers raised on concrete floor.