Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances

Year: 2008
Volume: 7
Issue: 11
Page No. 1474 - 1479

Digestibility, Degradability and Dry Matter Intake of Deep-Stacked Poultry Litter by Sheep and Goats

Authors : Nuha Hamed Talib and Faisal Awad Ahmed

Abstract: The objective of this research was to study the nutritive value of deep-stacked broiler litter (DBL) as ruminant feed. Further more, the effect of such diets on dry matter intake of sheep and goats was also studied. Four non castrated male sheep (38.4�3.90 kg/body/weight) were arranged into 4�4 Latin square design to 1 of the 4 dietary treatment groups that differed in DBL as a percentage of concentrate diet. The percentages in concentrate diet were 0, 20, 40 and 60%. The diets consist of concentrate mixture (0, 20, 40 and 60% broiler litter) plus ground sorghum stover at the rate of 2:1 on fresh basis to give complete diets of Control (Cont.), low level deep stacked broiler litter (LBL), medium level deep stacked broiler litter (MBL) and high level deep stacked broiler litter (HBL), respectively. Digestibility study revealed no significant difference in organic matter digestibility. Crude protein digestibility decreased gradually as the inclusion rate of DBL increased in the experimental diets. In addition to that all of the experimental diets degraded extensively and quickly in the rumen of the fistulated bulls decreasing the percentage of by bass protein. Dry matter intake of dietary treatments by sheep and goats was not affected by inclusion of DBL in their diets and they experienced no palatability problems. The previously mentioned results indicate that DBL could be safely used as a feed ingredient for ruminants without any effect on animal health. DBL as a feed ingredient for sheep and goats was also acceptable. Digestibility results rated the experimental diets as low to high quality hay in term of organic matter digestibility and metabolizable energy contents.

How to cite this article:

Nuha Hamed Talib and Faisal Awad Ahmed , 2008. Digestibility, Degradability and Dry Matter Intake of Deep-Stacked Poultry Litter by Sheep and Goats. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 7: 1474-1479.

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