Evaluation of litter material and ventilation systems in poultry production: I. overall performance

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the performance, mortality and the incidence of lesion on the foot-pad of broilers and litter enterobacteriaceae load in two ventilation systems and two litter materials. The experiment was carried out in four 12 m × 10 m broiler houses, internally divided in 4 pens, with 200 birds/pen for four consecutive flocks, each one with 42 days of duration and interval of 15 days of downtime between flocks. It was evaluated two ventilation systems (stationary and oscillating fans), and two litter materials (soybean straw and rice husks). Performance variables studied were body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality of birds at 21, 35, and 42 days of age. Flock mortality was daily recorded, and total mortality was used for analysis. Evaluation of lesions by using foot-pad macroscopic examination was performed in all birds at final weighing. It was also performed quantitative examinations of litter enterobacteria. Statistical analyses were performed by using the mixed model theory for repeated measures and logistical regression. Rice husks litter promoted the best performance of birds at all studied ages. Results did not permit to recommend a ventilation system inasmuch as both had similar performances. Soy straw litter causes a high incidence of foot-pad lesions. Enterobacteria occurrence is lower in reused litter.