The effect of litter material on productivity and health of broiler chickens

Many different litter materials are used for broiler production in Australia. In this study the effect of litter material on productivity and health of broilers was investigated. Broilers were reared on the following litter types; rice hulls, softwood sawdust, pine shavings, reused single batch litter (originally based on pine shavings), hardwood sawdust, shredded paper and chopped straw. Litter type significantly affected feed intake and growth to 21 days of age. However, the performance of broilers on all the litter types was comparable at 42 days of age. Although some litter materials stimulated gizzard development, this did not lead to differences in the microbial population in the digesta samples of the gizzard, ileum or caeca. Short chain fatty acids and lactic acid in the caecal contents showed variation caused by the different litter materials used.