Role of voluntary litter consumption by broiler chickens on gut function and gut health

Poultry housed in floor pen systems are able and likely to consume litter materials from the floor. How consumption of different types of litter materials affects growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut function and gut health in poultry is a largely unexplored research area. Recent data from an experiment with egg-laying hens performed at NULS in Norway (CRC project 03-27 "Use of different dust bathing materials for layers - Effect on nutrient digestion, gut physiology and welfare") has indicated that the type of litter material in the litter bath affects feed intake and feed utilisation. Hens with access to paper had a higher feed intake compared with control birds with no access to litter material and with birds with access to wood shavings, thus resulting in a poorer feed utilisation. A total of six experiments with broilers were conducted in this project. Three experiments were done in Norway at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NULS) and a further three experiments were conducted in Australia at the University of New England (UNE) and Inghams Enterprises Pty Ltd. Experimentation in both countries was necessary because NULS has unique expertise and facilities not available in Australia, and because of quarantine restrictions, it is not possible to bring gut and feed samples from Norway to Australia to be examined at UNE and SARDI. Furthermore, independent experimentation in Australia based on results obtained in Norway was necessary to validate results under Australian conditions.