Published June 1978. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo

Arscott, G. H. (George Henry), 1923-

Fischer, Charles Merel

Nakaue, Harry Sadao, 1932-

Oregon State University. Agricultural Experiment Station

Undetermined

ScholarsArchive@OSU

Chopped Cereal. StBroiler Floor LitterAgricultural Experiment StationOregon State University, CorvallisCHOPPED CEREAL STRAW AS BROILER FLOOR LITTERH. S. Nakaue, C. M. Fischer and G. H. ArscottINTRODUCTIONIn the early 1970's, experts in the forestry industry predictedthat by the end of the decade, wood shavings and sawdust would not beavailable for agricultural use because the materials would be com-pletely utilized in the manufacture of further processed wood productssuch as particle board etc. The poultry industry in Oregon becamealarmed at this prospect and requested the Department of PoultryScience at Oregon State University to begin experiments on alternativematerials for use as poultry litter. The most likely substitutematerial that would be available in large quantities for an indefiniteperiod in the future was cereal straw. A series of experiments wereconducted to determine the feasibility of using chopped cereal strawas a substitute for wood shavings or sawdust for poultry litter.Procedures and results of those experiments follow.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDUREExperiment 1 Broiler chicks in this experiment were housed in an uninsulated,concrete-floored house with adjustable side paneling for ventilation.Litter treatments were replicated three times with each pen 16 by 16feet (4.88 by 4.88 meters) consisting of 348 Hubbard broiler chicksequally divided by sex. The bird density was 0.74 ft 2 (0.009 meter2)per bird. Wood shavings (WS) and chopped straw (CS) (5 cm long) werespread in 3 pens each to a depth of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 centi-meters). An electric hover 72 inches in diameter (1.8 meters) wasused in each pen with the starting brooding temperature at 100°F(37.8°C) followed by a reduction of 5°F each week down to 65°F (18.5°C).The chicks were started by providing feed on flats for the first 5 daysand followed by feeding in 4 tube feeders per pen, each 16 inches (40centimeters) in diameter. The flats were removed after 5 days. Threeportable water fountains were used in each pen for the first two weeksand gradually water was provided in one continuous-flow water trough,65 inches (165 centimeters) long, providing 0.37 inches (0.94 centi-meters) of drinking space per chick. A single stage broiler feed wasmixed at the OSU Poultry Science Feed Mill (Table 1). Feed and waterwere provided free choice in this and all subsequent treatments.Continuous artificial light was provided by one 40 watt whiteincandescent bulb in the center of each pen about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters)above the floor.Body weight by sexes and feed consumption were obtained at 4 and8 weeks of age.Experiment 2 Broiler chicks in this experiment were housed in windowlesspositive pressure ventilated rooms. The chicks were brooded underinfrared heat lamps using one 250 watt bulb per pen. Heat lampswere thermostatically controlled using room temperature starting at85°F (29.4°C) which was manually lowered by 5°F each week through thefifth week, then set at 56°F (13.3°C) thereafter. Each pen (4 by 8feet or 1.23 by 2.46 meters) contained a stove pipe hanging feeder anda 3 gallon water fountain. Incandescent lighting was provided con-tinuously with the 40 watt light bulb suspended approximately 7.5 feet(2.3 meters) above the floor.Each litter treatment was replicated 16 times with each replicateor pen containing 12 male and 12 female Hubbard broiler chicks. Eachbird was allowed 1.08 ft 2 (0.013 meter2 ) floor space. Each pen wascovered with 30 pounds of either wood shavings or chopped straw (2 to3 inches or 5 to 7 centimeters long) to a depth of 3 to 4 inches (7.5to 8.2 centimeters). The same feeding and watering procedures werefollowed as in Experiment 1 and similar data collected.Experiment 3 Broiler chicks were brooded and grown in the same room and sameprocedure as in Experiment 2. Three litter treatments that were com-pared were: WS, CS and an equal mixture of the two litter materials(WS-CS). Each litter material was added at 40 pounds per bird. Thelitter depth was approximately 4 inches (8.2 centimeters). In Experi-ment 3, each litter material was replicated 8 times with 24 straightrun Hubbard broiler chicks per pen. Bird density was 1.08 ft 2 (0.013meter2 ) per bird. Moisture contents from each litter material weredetermined initially and weekly from 4 weeks of age by sampling thematerial from the same area of the same pens. Approximately 3 gramsof litter samples were analytically weighed before and after dryingat 100°F (37.8°C) for three days in an oven. Sample weights were re-corded before and after drying and percent moisture computed.A two-stage feeding program was used. Starter feed was fed forthe first two pounds consumed per bird and thereafter the finisherfeed was fed to market age (Table 1).At 8 weeks of age, breast blister incidence was determined byrandomly selecting three pens per treatment. The incidence of blisterson the keel bone and any other abnormalities were recorded.Dust samples were measured weekly from 5 to 8 weeks of age.Quadruplicate dust samples were taken from pens for each littermaterial. A Rayco particle counter was used to determine the con-centration of dust particles in the air above the floor pens (18 inchesor 0.5 meters). The counter was used to count particles greater than0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0, and 10.0 microns. Results were recorded in-2-numbers of particles per cubic foot of air. By subtraction, the countswere converted to number of particles having diameters of specific sizeranges.Ammonia absorption rates (mg/m 2 hr) were determined weekly from5 weeks of age by exposing 25 milliliters of 0.02 N HC1 solution toair in disposable beakers for one-half hour. The samples were re-turned to the laboratory in sealed test tubes for colorimetric deter-mination. One milliliter of Nessler's reagent was used to developthe color which was read on a Coleman Junior spectrophotometer at 425 mu.When the color intensity was too dark, the samples were diluted andread again.Experiment 4 Brooding and rearing procedures and the feeding program were thesame as Experiment 3. The only difference was the bird densities onthe three litter materials. The densities were: 0.6 ft 2 (0.007 meter2);0,75 ft 2 (0.009 meter2 ); and 1.08 ft2 (0.013 meter2 ) per bird. Eachtreatment was replicated three times.Litter caking scores were recorded weekly after the initial 3weeks. A score of 1 was given to pens without any litter caking,and the score of 5 was given to pens with over 2/3 of the area caked.Scores between these two values were judged according to the degreeof caking.Breast blister incidence was determined for all birds from twopens of each treatment.Analyses of variances were carried out for body weight, feedconversion and feed consumption data for all experiments (1).Laboratory Tests To Determine Litter Properties Moisture uptake and release for the litter materials were deter-mined as outlined by Ruszler and Carson (2). Quadruplicate samplesfor each of the two litter materials were used to determine moistureuptake by weighing 45 grams of each litter and soaking each in a 2liter beaker with 1000 ml of distilled water for 3 days. The waterwas decanted after soaking each day, and the beaker and the wet litterwere weighed. The total water uptake was calculated by subtractingthe dry litter from the final wet litter weights.Moisture release was determined by taking the same water soakedlitter materials and drying the samples in a drying oven at 100°F(37.7°C) for 3 days. The samples were weighed daily for 3 days.Combustibilities of the litter materials were determined byweighing 5 gram samples of each litter material in a crucible andthen placing it in a muffle furnace. The temperature was gradually-3-elevated until the first sign of combustion was noticed. The temper-ature at this point was recorded. Triplicate determinations werecarried out for each litter material.RESULTSAverage body weight and feed conversion data for the four experi-ments are presented in Tables 2 and 3. In all experiments, bothaverage body weight and feed conversion at 8 weeks of age were notsignificantly different (P>0.05) between broilers grown on any littertypes. However, broilers reared on either CS or WS-CS were numericallyheavier than those grown on WS in Experiments 1, 3 and 4. Averagelitter moisture levels were higher in pens with CS than in pens withWS (Experiment 3). The pens with WS-CS had average litter moistureintermediate to CS and WS.Incidence of breast blisters and abnormalities observed onbroilers at 8 weeks of age for Experiment 3 are listed in Table 4.There were no differences in the breast blister incidence, perosisand incidences of curled toe among litter materials. Incidences offoot pad lesions appeared slightly higher in the CS than the WS, butWS-CS was even lower.Dust and ammonia levels, room temperature and relative humidityfor the periods between 4 and 8 weeks of age are presented in Table5. CS seems to produce less total dust than the WS except for thesixth week readings when it was slightly higher. WS-CS produced lesstotal dust than either WS or CS during 6 and 8 weeks. Ammonia ab-sorption data revealed no real differences in ammonia levels betweenthe types of litter; however, as the birds were reared longer on thelitter materials, both ammonia and dust levels tended to increase asexpected.Average litter caking score, incidence of breast blisters andcomments of litter conditions for Experiment 4 are presented in Table6. There were no differences in average litter caking scores be-tween the litter materials at bird densities 0.75 ft 2 and 1.08 ft2(0.009 and 0.013 meters 2 ) per broiler. Some caking and wet litterwere noticed around the waterers at 8 weeks for these two birddensities. At 0.6 ft 2 (0.007 meter2 ) per broiler, litter cakingstarted at 5 and 6 weeks for the CS and WS -CS, respectively. WSinitial caking was not observed until 7 weeks. All pens with thethree types of litter was severely caked at 8 weeks. No valid com-parison on incidence of breast blisters can be made from the datasince the numbers of birds examined from one density group to anotherwere not the same.Three properties of WS and CS were examined in the laboratory,and the data are listed in Table 7. Average moisture uptake for the-4-CS was approximately three and one-half times greater than WS. Themoisture release of both litter materials was rapid. The high mois-ture uptake and rapid release are good properties of a littermaterial. CS seems to have these properties. Temperatures at whichthe first sign of combustion were noticed for CS and WS were approxi-mately 175°F (79.4°C). Combustibility of these materials are impor-tant because broiler farmers use artificial heat sources such asnatural gas, electric hovers and infrared heat lamps to brood chicks.From the data obtained in these experiments, chopped cereal strawmay be used for broiler litter; however, this litter material shouldnot be used with less than 0.75 ft 2 (0.009 m2 ) per bird.SUMMARYFour broiler experiments were carried out to determine thefeasibility of chopped cereal straw as a source of broiler floorlitter. CS was compared with WS and WS-CS. CS (5 centimeters long)and WS-CS were comparable to WS in producing average broiler bodyweights, feed conversion, number of breast blisters, dust andammonia levels. At bird density of 0.6 ft 2 (0.007 meter2 ) per bird,all three types of litter were caked at 8 weeks; however, CS startedcaking first followed by WS-CS. At 0.75 and 1.08 ft 2 (0.009 and0.013 meters 2 ) per bird, pens with CS, WS and WS-CS did not cakeseverely. CS absorbed three and one-half times more water than WS,and both litter materials released water rapidly. CS and WS appearto have the same ignition points. Chopped cereal straw may be usedfor broiler litter; however, with not less than 0.75 ft 2 (0.009 m2)per bird.REFERENCES1. Steel, R. G. D. and J. H. Torrie, 1960. Principles and Proceduresof Statistics, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. New York, NY.2. Ruszler, P. L. and J. R. Carson, 1974. Methods of EvaluatingThe Potential Usefulness of Selected Litter Materials. PoultryScience 53:1420-1427.-5-Table 1. Composition and calculated analyses for the broiler feeds usedIngredients Experiments 1 & 2	 Experiments 3 & 4Single-stage Starter	 Finisher0-6Yellow corn 64.95 55.74 60.62Soybean meal - 47.50 29.00 32.25 27.50Meat and bone meal (50%) - 5.00 5.00Animal fat - 4.00 4.00Dehydrated alfalfa meal - 17% 2.00 1.00 1.00Dicalcium phosphate (32% Ca, 18% P) 1.85 .75 .75Limestone flour 1.60 .60 .50Salt, iodized .30 .25 .25Vitamin premixl .20 .20 .20Trace mineral premix2 .05 .05 .05Methionine hydroxy analogue (90%) 3 .05 - -DL-methionine - 98% + .16 .13Zinc bacitracin 4 + + +Zoamix5 - + +Amprol6 + - -100.+ 100.+ 100.+Calculated analyses:Protein, % 21.0 22.9 21.1Metabolizable energy, kcal/kg 2977. 3100. 3149.Calcium, % 1.23 1.16 1.11Available phosphorus, % .45 .54 .53Methionine + cystine, % .55 .90 .821. Supplies per kg of diet: 3300 I.U. vitamin A; 1100 I.C.U. vitamin D 3 ; 3.3mg. riboflavin; 5.5 mg. d-pantothenic acid; 22 mg. niacin; 191 mg. choline;5.5 mcg. vitamin B12; 1.1 I.U. vitamin E; .55 mg. vitamin K; .22 mg. folacin.2. Supplies per kg of diet: 60 mg. manganese; 20 mg. iron; 2 mg. copper; 1.2mg. iodine and 27.5 mg. zinc.3. Provided gratuitously by Monsanto Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO.4. Provided gratuitously by Commercial Solvent Co., Terra Haute, IN.5. Provided gratuitously by Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI and supplied at thelevel of 0.05%.6. Provided gratuitously by Merck and Co., Rahway, NJ and supplied at thelevel of 0.05%.-6-Table 2. Average body weight and feed conversion of broilers grown on woodshavings and chopped cereal straw litter for 8 weeks,Litter typesExperiment 1 (12/74) F 1Bird density	 Body wt.	 Feedconversion'ft 2/bird	 lbsWood shavings (WS) 0.74 4.25a 2.30aChopped straw (5cm long) (CS) 0.74 4.29a 2.33aLitter typesExperiment 2 (1/75) CBird density	 Body wt.' Feedconversion'ft 2/bird lbsWood shavings (WS) 1.08 4.12a 2.64aChopped straw (5cm long) (CS) 1.08 4.11a 2.67aLitter typesExperiment 3 (12/75) Bird density Body wt.'	 Feed	 Litterconversion' moisture(weeks)0 4-8ft /bird lbsWood shavings (WS) 1.08 4.42a 2.23a 6.6 19,6Chopped straw (5cm long) (CS) 1.08 4.48a 2.18a 7.7 23.1WS:CS, 1:1 1.08 4.49a 2.21a 7.1 20.8HSN:3-431. Values with different superscripts are significantly different at P4:0.05.-7-Table 3. Influence of three broiler densities and three litter materials onbody weight and feed conversion at 8 weeks of age.Experiment 4Litter Bird Ave. Ave. feedtypes densities body wt. 1 conversion)ft 2/bird lbsWood shavings (WS) 0.6 4.23a 2.24aChopped straw (CS) (5cm long) 0.6 4.22a 2.18aWS-CS, 1:1 0.6 4.22a 2.21aWood shavings (WS) 0.75 4.24a 2.17aChopped straw (CS) (5cm long) 0.75 4.41a 2.18aWS-CS, 1:1 0.75 4.45a 2.13aWood shavings (WS) 1.08 4.39a 2.15aChopped straw (CS) (5cm long) 1.08 4.44a 2.16aWS-CS, 1:1 1.08 4.28a 2.17aWood shavings (WS) all densities 4.28a 2.19aChopped straw (CS) (5cm long) all densities 4.36a 2.17aWS-CS, 1:1 All densities 4.32a 2.17a1. Values with different superscripts are significantly different at P1:0.05.-8-Table 4. Incidence of breast blisters and other abnormalities observed inExperiment 3.Litter types	 Incidence of	Other abnormalitiesbreast blisters(blisters/examined)Wood shavings (WS)Chopped straw (CS)WS-CS, 1:10/692/700/6814 foot pad lesions3 perosis1 curly toe17 foot pad lesions2 perosis3 curly toe9 foot pad lesions3 perosis3 curly toe-9-0 0 0CP 01 .40 N N•--1 (-I0 0 0N CO 0(-1 t*". 0N •-I N=.• CO <X■ CO an L0 44143 LIF)	 1451.14 0 0 0 tO 4.0 WIo 40 60 tO U, VI in••••■00ro•	 oal •Lines•	 •	 • 03 •-•1•••	 •cf) 0 P4 E in 4.0 r■ o N4.10	 r.440	 0 N N N In 0' Lt,(.0 (.0 (0(0 (.0 tO4' 4'tO CO (.0CO It) r■• • •r-I(.0(11• C°.(0▪ CO 4.011110000 'tlro 0 0 0tO CO 4'CO 4' alN N N0 0 0to CSICfl ul CO.1°0 0 0(1) 4.0tO u') t•--1r) in 4'.04.••••••0 000	 000	 0 0 0	 0 0C.• 0) 0	 "•1	 cf,	 Lc)	 ti) 4.0 •44' 4' (0	 N	 tO	 "•1 0) 0	 al a) CO	f".1	 "•1roco0Xta4-'0""i•orl•*4riC0 0 00 0 CNI• 0Csi N N0 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 00 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 0CD	 N	 Pi	 02	 Cr) 4 01	 C'• 4.0"•I	 I-4	 •-1	 4-10 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 0000	 0 in 0	 000	 000	 U)NM? 0'	 0) 4-1 N	 0'd in	 4 cn s	 0r-iR.@00 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 0	 0 0 00 0	 0 0	 0Cr)	 N	 r-4	 0t1-1••■•■•■••••••■...•	 	1•111•111110“••■■4.'0..-..	 0C(3	 0CO...x	 baw 24)	 0	 co	 t.... 0,....	 00001/1	 ...... ••••■■	 ...... /1	 ■•••■ ...■	 /C/3 Cf)	 C13 C.4)	 CA Cl3	 CO CADC C.)	 C.)	 M C..)	 NC C-)v...	 v...	 ...... sr.	so ......	 4-1O a	 Ina	 In a 	 Ina	 0P 2	 b0 00 At.0	Pi 0a Pi	 b0 00 	 0•1-1 4.0 I-I	 •"I	 "4	 ."1 4•0 1°1	 *4-1 4J r-4	U> 0 ..•	 > 0 . •	 So 0 • •	 ti cr) • •	 040	 "-I	 I-I	 0	 r-I	 (-I.0 '0	 40 V	 .0 'V	 4 10	 0O 0 ^0 0 "	 0 0 "	 0 0 "	 IiA	04 CO	 04 CA	 a( Cr3 	 C:(4 Ct)	 4-1 <SU (I)	 '0 at 	 C:14 	 a( C.)	V)	 8 .8 d)	 8 2 .,	8 2 .,m C.)	 M C..) M	 M C.) M	 3 C-.) M	 it.14-10-	co cr)	 CO CO Sr-	cc)	 f--Ir1 ri 4-4r-4 .-1rl rfrtco in cr)N r- c--• • •O o or-i r-ICO 00 CO0 0 0r-i■•••••■cr)	V) 0)C.)$4	 $4	E '11)	 a)	0 ..34	 a)	4 , 0	 4-1	al C.)	 11X	 X0	V a)	 ;4 VO (a4	 a) gO ;4 0	;4 0 a)	 ;4 0 0E	;4 0 0	 411 0a)	 A	 a) X4-) 'V	 4-0	 Va, w	 to e a)	3 -X V	 X 0 „X	4d 0	 ;4 ItI	V C.) Id	 V 4-4 c)O 0O V 4-1	 0 F4 VO 0 0	 0 0 0	;4 03 X	 ;4 4-, 40O iti 4-1	1::) k	 ••1 17	1:::, <1,) a)	 V H W	41) 4J 4-0	 a)	 4-'	•X 4-J .1-4 	.34 4-, .1-10 0 leal 0 -.-4	c..) Z 1-4	 C.) 3 xLf) If) coO CO ODcs- M u)r-♦C.f) C.J.)C-)•■••••(a X	 ca X	 GO Xb0 ml	 130 RI	 b0 10O ;4	 0 ;4	 0 $4.4-4 4-0 H	 -o-I 4-0 f-I	 •.-1 4-0 .--1> In -	 > co	 > u) -RI	 r-I	 0	 ,--1	 40	 r-I.0 V	 A V	 .0 VO 41) w0 W .	 0 0 ."	0. c/)	 04 4./)	 Of Cl)V Of C.)	 V Of C.)	 V 04 C.-)O I	 0 0 i	 0 0 4O A CO	 0 A co	 0 A CO3C C..) 3	 3 C..)	 0 304-,4-4.-1a)0U(I)boitsa)•+L.4-4rtO;4a)4-'4-'4,44-444Oa)C•1a)4-1O 0•f-I C.)A 0V4-) -dO c)ni 0a) .44;.1at4-1V •4-i♦ CO--4a:1 a)VVX•PO .41O A4410 04 r.44-1 0)V ;43 0 $11) 0.34 04 0r•VM000O 0 $40 a) 04-1 a) O.O 04 0• co .4.44-4	 4.-1;4 0 4-4 Aa) 04.1M	 4-I-4-1. 	 4)613-1	 b0 (1)fI (E1 ;4O a) ;4 ACU 0 >40 4-'II	 II	 -4-4O 3rl 4r) ;440 Va) WF.4	 ;4 AO 0C)	 0 4-4M 0b0	 b01~44-1O.  0.9•34	 .14 5• fec.)	 C.) Z.*CV N CNIr-1 r-4ri cs, 4-1rtri rtrC)A• it) (0 (0CNI • • •4-0 0 0 0444••••0to—11—Table 7. Three properties of wood shavings and chopped cereal straw.Litter typesAve. moisture	 Moistureluptake for	 released from Ignition3 days	 soaked litter	 temp.2gm	 0	 °FWood shavings (WS)	30.0	 100	 175Chopped straw (CS) (5cm long) 	 101.5	 100	 1751. Moisture released the first day of three days of drying.2. Temperature at which first sign of combustion was noticed.HSN 3-46 & 47-12-

Chopped cereal straw as broiler floor litter

https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/cv43nx87n

Chopped cereal straw as broiler floor litter

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

ScholarsArchive@OSU