Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T02:15:47.911Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nutritional factors affecting excreta/litter moisture and quality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2007

M. Francesch
Affiliation:
IRTA, Department of Animal Nutrition, Centre Mas Bové, Apartat 415, 43280 Reus, Spain, e-mail: [email protected]
J. Brufau
Affiliation:
IRTA, Department of Animal Nutrition, Centre Mas Bové, Apartat 415, 43280 Reus, Spain, e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The control of excreta/litter moisture and quality is a priority in the modern poultry industry, to avoid environmental and animal welfare problems and to reduce productivity losses. Control implies the reduction of their amounts and moisture content. Several factors can affect them, some related to management and housing, others related to diseases and finally, dietary factors. The paper reviews some nutritional aspects that could interfere with the moisture and quality of poultry excreta/litter, focusing on dietary factors affecting water consumption, water excretion and the amount and composition of excreta: dietary protein level, electrolyte balance, ionophores, cereals causing viscosity problems or containing high levels of non-digestible fibre fractions, unusual ingredients or by-products and finally some feed technological treatments.

Type
Reviews
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alleman, F. and Leclercq, B. (1997) Effect of dietary protein and environmental temperature on growth performance and water consumption of male broiler chickens. British Poultry Science 38: 607610.Google Scholar
Almirall, M., Francesch, M., Pérez-Vendrell, A.M., Brufau, J. and Esteve-Garcia, E. (1995) The differences in intestinal viscosity produced by barley and β-glucanase alter digesta enzyme activities and ileal nutrient digestibilities more in broilers than in cocks. Journal of Nutrition 125: 947955.Google ScholarPubMed
Almirall, M., Cos, R., Esteve-Garcia, E. and Brufau, J. (1997) Effect of inclusion of sugar beet pulp, pelleting and season on laying hen performance. British Poultry Science 38: 530536.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Annison, G., Moughan, P.J. and Thomas, D.V. (1995) Nutritive activity of soluble rice bran arabinoxylans in broiler diets. British Poultry Science 36: 479488.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bach Knudsen, K.E. (1997) Carbohydrate and lignin contents of plant materials used in animal feeding. Animal Feed Science and Technology 67: 319338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Balnave, D. and Gorman, I. (1993) A role for sodium bicarbonate supplements for growing broilers at high temperatures. World's Poultry Science Journal 49: 236241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bedford, M.R. (1995) Mechanism of action and potential environmental benefits from the use of feed enzymes. Animal Feed Science and Technology 53: 145155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bedford, M.R. and Morgan, A.J. (1996) The use of enzymes in poultry diets. World's Poultry Science Journal 52: 6167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borges, S.A., Fischer Da Silva, A.V., Ariki, J., Hooge, D.M. and Cummings, K.R. (2003) Dietary electrolyte balance for broilers chickens under moderately high ambient temperatures and relatively humidities. Poultry Science 82: 301308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Broz, J. and Frigg, M. (1986) Effects of beta-glucanase on the feeding value of broiler diets based on barley or oats. Archiv für Geflügelkunde 50: 4147.Google Scholar
Brufau, J., Francesch, M., Pérez-Vendrell, A.M. and Esteve-Garcia, E. (1993) Effects of post-harvest storage on nutritive value of barley in broilers. In: Enzymes in Animal Nutrition, Kartause Ittingen, Thurgau, Switzerland, pp: 125128.Google Scholar
Carré, B., Gamez, J., Melcion, J.P. and Giboulot, B. (1994) La viscosité des aliments destinés à I'aviculture. Utilisation pour prédire la consommation et l'excretion d'eau. INRA –Production Animale 7: 369379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carré, B., Flores, M.-P. and Gomez, J. (1995) Effects of pelleting, lactose level, polyethylene glycol 4000. and guar gum compared on growth performances, energy values, and losses of lactose, lactic acid, and waterin chickens. Poultry Science 74: 18101819.Google Scholar
Carré, B. and Melcion, J.P. (1995) Effects of feed viscosity on water excretion in meat-turkey poults. In: Recent Advances in animal Nutririon in Australia. Armidale, Australia, pp: 16.Google Scholar
Carré, B., Monredon, F.D., Melcion, J.P. and Gómez, J. (1995) Qualité de la litière en aviculture. Aliments et caractéristiques physiques des excretas. INRA –Production Animale 8: 331334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carré, B., Idi, A., Maisonnier, S., Melcion, J.-P., Oury, F.-X., Gomez, J. and Pluchard, P. (2002) Relationships between digesti es of food components and characteristics of wheats (Triticum aestivud) introduced as the only cereal source in a broiler chicken diet. British Poultry Science 43: 404415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Choct, M. (1999) Effects of commercial enzymes on wet droppings in four strains of layers fed a barley-based diet. In: Australian Poultry Science Symposium pp: 8993.Google Scholar
Choct, M. (2000) Enzyme supplementation on poultry diets based on viscous cereals. In: Bedford, M. and Partridge, G.G. (eds.) Enzymes in farm animal nutrition, CAB International, Wallingford, pp: 145160.Google Scholar
Classen, H.L. and Bedford, M. (1999) The use of enzymes to improved the nutritive value of poultry feeds. In: Wiseman, J. and Garnsworthy, P.C. (eds.) Recent developments in Poultry nutrition 2. Nottingham University Press, UK.Google Scholar
Damron, B.L. (1994) The relationship of maximum or intermediate coccidiostat levels to broiler chick water intake. Poultry Science 73: 3336.Google Scholar
Damron, B.L. and Harms, R.H. (1981) Broiler performance as affected by sodium source, level and monensin. Nutrition Reports Inrernational 24: 731740.Google Scholar
Damron, B.L., Johnson, W.L. and Kelly, L.S. (1986) Utilization of sodium from sodium bicarbonate by broilers chickens. Poultry Science 65: 782785.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elwinger, K. and Teglóf, B. (1991) Performance of broiler chickens as influenced by a dietary enzyme complex with and without antibiotic supplementation. Archiv für Geflügelkunde 55: 6973.Google Scholar
Evans, A.J., Cheung, P.C.-K. and Cheetham, N.W.H. (1993) The carbohydrate composition of cotyledons and hulls of cultivars of lupinus angustifolius from western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50: 189194.Google Scholar
Farrell, D.J. and Martin, E.A. (1998) Strategies to improve the nutritive value of rice bran in poultry diets. 1. The addition of food enzymes to target the non-starch polysaccharide fractions in diets of chickens and ducks gave no response. British Poultry Science 39: 549554.Google Scholar
Farrell, D.J., Perez-Maldonado, R.A. and Mannion, P.F. (1999) Optimum inclusion of field peas, faba beans, chick peas and sweet lupins in poultry diets. I. Broiler experiments. British Poultry Science 40: 674680.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferguson, N.S., Gates, R.S., Taraba, J.L., Cantor, A.H., Pescatore, A.J., Ford, M.J. and Burnham, D.J. (1998) The effect of dietary crude protein on growth, ammonia concentration, and litter composition in broilers. Poultry Science 77: 14811487.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferket, P.R. (1992) Use of barley in growing turkey diets. In: Minnesota Nutrition Conference. p 251–259.Google Scholar
Fleet, J.C. and Saylor, W.W. (1983) Interaction of dietary electrolytes and coccidiostats in broilers chickens. Poultry Science 62: 14221423.Google Scholar
Francesch, M., Pérez-Vendrell, A., Almirall, M., Roura, E. and Brufau, J. (1989) Beta-glucanase supplementation in barley based diets for broilers. Effects on dry matter content of excreta, water consumption, sticky droppings and carcass yield. In: 7th European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition, Lloret de MarSpain, pp: 309313.Google Scholar
Francesch, M., Pérez-Vendrell, A., Esteve-Garcia, E. and Brufau, J. (1994) Effects of cultivar, pelleting and enzyme addition on nutritive value of barley in poultry diets. British Poultry Science 35: 259272.Google Scholar
Francesch, M., Pérez-Vendrell, A., Esteve-Garcia, E. and Brufau, J. (1995) Enzyme supplentation of a barley and sunflower-based diet on laying hen performance. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 4: 3240.Google Scholar
Francesch, M., Pérez-Moya, S., Badiola, I. and Brufau, J. (1999a) Effects of cereal and feed enzyme on digesta viscosity and bacterial counts in broiler chickens. In: 12th European Symposium on Poultry NutritionThe Netherlands pp: 242245.Google Scholar
Francesch, M., Pérez-Moya, S., Badiola, I. and Brufau, J. (1999b) Effects of cereal and feed enzyme on water consumption, dietary metabolisable energy and nutrient digestibility in broilers chickens. In: 12th European Symposium on Poultry NutritionThe Netherlands pp: 258.Google Scholar
Frigg, M. and Broz, J. (1983) Effect of various doses of lasalocid and monensin in combination with increasing potassium levels on performance and water consumption of broilers chickens. Archiv für Geflügelkunde 47: 153158.Google Scholar
Fuente, J.M., Pérez De Ayala, P. and Villamide, M.J. (1995) Effect of dietary enzyme on metabolisable energy of diets with increasing levels of barley fed to broilers at different ages. Animal Feed Science and Technology 56: 4553.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hesselman, K., Elwinger, K. and Thomke, S. (1982) Influence of increasing levels of β-glucanase on the productive value of barley diets for broilers chickens. Animal Feed Science and Technology 7: 351358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henry, P.R. (1995) Sodium and chloride bioavailability. In: Ammerman, C.B.Baker, D.H. and Lewis, A.J. (eds.) Bioavailability of nutrients for animals. Academic Press, San Diego, California, US, pp: 337348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hooge, D.M., Cummings, K.R. and McNaughton, J.L. (1999) Evaluation of sodium bicarbonate, chloride, or sulphate with coccidiostats in corn-soy or corn-soy-meat diets for broilers chickens. Poultry Science 78: 13001306.Google Scholar
Hughes, R.J., Choct, M., Kocher, A. and Van Barneveld, R.J. (2000) Effect of food enzymes on AME and composition of digesta from broiler chickens fed on diets containing non-starch polysacchaiides isolated from lupin kernel. British Poultry Science 41: 318323.Google Scholar
Karunajeewa, H. and Barr, D.A. (1988) Influence of dietary electrolyte balance, source of added potassium and anticoccidial agents on the performance of male broilers. British Poultry Science 29: 137147.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Karunajeewa, H. and Barr, D.A. (1990) Effects of maduramicin, salinomycin and dietary level of wheat on the performance of broilers chickens. Applied Agricultural Research 5: 227234.Google Scholar
Larbier, M. and Leclercq, B. (1992) Consommation d'aliment et d'eau. In: INRA (ed.) Nutrition et alimentation des volailles. INRA, Paris, France, pp: 1725.Google Scholar
Macy, L.B., Delee, J.A., Waldroup, P.W., Izat, A.L., Gwyther, M.J. and Eoff, H.J. (1990) Effects of feeding lasalocid on performance of broilers in moderate and hot temperature regimens. Poultry Science 69: 12651270.Google Scholar
Marks, H.L. and Pesti, G.M. (1984) The roles of protein level and diet form in water consumption and abdominal fat depot deposition of broilers. Poultry Science 63: 16171625.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, E.A. and Farrell, D.J. (1998) Strategies to improve the nutritive value of rice bran in poultry diets. II. Changes in oil digestibility, metabolisable energy and attempts to increase the digestibility of the oil fraction in the diets of chickens and ducklings. British Poultry Science 39: 555559.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mathlouthi, N., Lalles, J.P., Lepercp, P., Juste, C. and Larbier, M. (2002) Xylanase and beta-glucanase supplementation improve conjugated bile acid fraction in intestinal contents and increase villus size of small intestine wall in broiler chickens fed a rye-based diet. Journal of Animal Sciences 80: 27732779.Google Scholar
Merrill, D. (1993) Survey on Sodium Bicarbonate use in the Western European Animal feed market. SRI International for Church & Dwight Company, Inc, Princeton, NJ.Google Scholar
Miller, E.R. (1995) Potassium bioavailability. In: Ammerman, C.B., Baker, D.H. and Lewis, A.J. (eds.) Bioavailabilify of nutrients for animals. Academic Press, San Diego, California, US, pp: 295301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mongin, P. (1981) Recent advances in dietary anion-cations balance: Applications in poultry. Procedings Nutrition Society 40: 285294.Google Scholar
Murakami, A.E., Saleh, E.A., England, J.A., Dickey, D.A., Watkins, S.E. and Waldroup, P.W. (1997) Effect of level and source of sodium on performance of male broilers to 56 days. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 6: 128136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murakami, A.E., Oviedo-Rondón, E.O., Martins, E.N., Pereira, M.S. and Scapinello, C. (2001) Sodium and chloride requirements of growing broiler chickens (twenty-one to forty-two days of age) fed corn-soybean diets. Poultry Science 80: 289294.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nan, C.W., Manning, B., Patel, M.B. and McGinnis, J. (1979) Observations of the effect of different dietary sodium levels and coccidiostats (monensin and lasalocid) on growth, feed efficiency, water intake, and mortality in broilers. Poultry Science 58: 1088.Google Scholar
NRC (1994) Nutrient requirements of poultry. 10th Ed. ed. national Academy Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Onifade, A.A. and Babatunde, G.M. (1998) Comparison of the utilisation of palm kemel meal, brewers' dried grains and maize offal by broiler chicks. British Poultry Science 39: 245250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ouart, M.D., Damron, B.L. and Christmas, R.B. (1995) Effect of coccidiostats on performance, water intake, and litter moisture of broilers. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 4: 374378.Google Scholar
Oviedo-Rondón, E.O., Murakami, A.E., Furlan, A.C., Moreira, I. and Macari, M. (2001) Sodium and chloride requirements of young broiler chickens fed corn-soybean diets (one to twenty-one days of age). Poultry Science 80: 592598.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patel, M.B., Nan, C.W., Bishawi, K.O. and McGinnis, J. (1980) Effect of different levels and combinations of lasalocid and monensin on broiler performance, water consumption and prevention of coccidiosis. Poultry Science 59: 1649.Google Scholar
Pattison, M. (1987) Problems of diarrhoea and wet litter in meat poultry. In: Haresign, W. and Cole, D.J.A. (eds.) Recent advances in animal nutrition. Butterworths, London. pp: 2737.Google Scholar
Perez, J.M., Bories, G., Aumaitre, A., Barrier-Guillot, B., Delaveau, A., Gueguen, L., Larbier, M. and Sauvant, D. (2002) Conséquences en élevage et pour le consommateur du remplacement des farines et des graisses animales. INRA Production Animale 15: 8796.Google Scholar
Pressman, B.C. (1976) Biological application of ionophores. Annual Review of Biochemistry 45: 501.Google Scholar
Radu, J. and Van Dijk, C. (1987) Feed and water consumption and performance of male and female broilers fed salinomycin and maduramicin followed by a withdrawal ration. Poultry Science 66: 18781881.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, J.R., Ball, W. and Leary, A. (1998) Effects of different cereal grains on egg and egg shell quality in laying hens. In: Australian Poultry Science Symposium. pp: 199.Google Scholar
Salsbury, R.L. (1984) Feed and water intake by broiler chicks as affected by ionophore, sodium and chlorine concentration in feed. Poultry Science 63, Suppl. 1: 174.Google Scholar
Samarasinghe, K., Messikommer, R. and Wenk, C. (2000) Activity of supplemental enzymes and their effect on nutrient utilization and growth performance of chickens as affected by pelleting temperature. Archives of Anima1 Nutrition 53: 4548.Google ScholarPubMed
Silversides, F.G. and Bedford, M.R. (1999) Effect of pelleting temperature on the recovery and efficacy of a xylanase enzyme in wheat-based diets. Poultry Science 78: 11841190.Google Scholar
Smith, A., Rose, S.P., Wells, R.G. and Pirgozliev, V. (2000a) The effect of changing the excreta moisture of caged laying hens on the excreta and microbial contamination of their egg shells. British Poultry Science 41: 168173.Google Scholar
Smith, A., Rose, S.P., Wells, R.G. and Pirgozliev, V. (2000b) Effect of excess dietary sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus on excreta moisture of laying hens. British Poultry Science 41: 598607.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Svihus, S., Newman, R.K. and Newman, C.W. (1997) Effect of soaking, germination and enzyme treatment of whole barley on nutritional value and digestive tract parameters of broiler chickens. British Poultry Science 38: 390396.Google Scholar
Teeter, R.G. and Belay, T. (1996) Broiler management during acute heat stress. Animal Feed Science and Technology 58: 127142.Google Scholar
Vukic Vranjes, M. and Wenk, C. (1995) Influence of dietary enzyme complex on the performance of broilers fed on diets with and without antibiotic supplementation. British Poultry Science 36: 265275.Google Scholar
Wheeler, R.S. and James, E.C. Jr. (1950) The problem of wet poultry house litter. The influence of total dietary protein and soybean meal on water intake and urinary and faecal water elimination in growing chickens. Poultry Science 29: 496500.Google Scholar
Wheelhouse, R.K., Groves, B.J., Hammat, C.A., Van Duk, C. and Radu, J. (1985) Effects of coccidiostats and dietary protein on performance and water consumption in broilers chickens. Poultry Science 64: 979985.CrossRefGoogle Scholar