Growth Performance, Digestibility, N-balance and Rumen Fermentation of Lambs Fed Different Levels of Deep-stack Broiler Litter

Sixteen lambs ranging in age between 9-12 months with live body weight 30-32 kg were used in an experiment with 12-week periods to determine the effects of dietary deep stack broiler litter level on growth performance. Deep stack was prepared in an underground silo pit (2*2*2m) for a period of month. Four concentrate rations were used compromising deep stacked broiler litter at a rate of 0, 15, 30 and 45% of ration in addition to other feed ingredients of molasses, sorghum, groundnut cake, wheat bran, groundnut hullus, limestone and salt. Dry matter intake as g/kg metabolic body weight were not found to be different from each other except for higher inclusion rate which increased (P <0.05). At higher inclusion rate both total gain and the average daily gain increased (P <0.05). Also feed conversion ratio was not affected by inclusion of deep stack broiler litter except for the higher inclusion rate (P <0.05). When inclusion rate of deep stack broiler litter is increased the lambs tend to consume more water. There was a significant (P <0.05) difference among rations on digestibility of dry matter (DMD), crude fibre (CFD) and Ash content (AshD). Animal fed on ration A and C had a higher DMD, CFD and AshD than ration B and D. Hence there was no significant (P <0.05) difference among rations on digestibility of organic matter (OMD), crude protein (CPD), ether extract (EED), Ca and P. The nitrogen intake was increased while the inclusion rate of deep stack broiler litter increased. However there was a significant (P <0.05) difference among rations on N intake. Whereby there was no significant difference (P <0.05) among rations on feaces N, urine N and N-retention. There was a significant (P <0.05) difference in the pH and the concentration of NH3-N in the rumen liquor among rations, which a higher value of NH3-N and pH was recorded for ration D. While there was no significant difference (P <0.05) in concentration of VFA which a higher value for ration A and D than ration B and C. The cost of one kg body weight gain was lowering as the broiler litter inclusion rate increased and then raised at 45% inclusion rate. It could be concluded that feeding deep stacked broiler litter with the levels of 15, 30 and 45% concentrate inclusion rate to lambs impose no harmful effect on their health or causing a severe reduction in their body performance and it was shown that it is a safe feed without any determinant effects on lambʹs health. Even more it was a cheap feed and produced a reasonable growth rate without causing any remarkable decrease in daily feed intake.