Authors : E.K. Asaniyan , J.O. Agbede and E.A.O. Laseinde
Abstract: A batch of five hundred day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks was used to assess the influence of litter replacement frequency on performance of broiler-chickens reared on sand and wood shaving litter. The chicks were randomly grouped into ten treatments of litter replacement Frequencies for both wood shavings and sand litters under 2�5 factorial design experiment. Each of the litter type had replacements of seven times, thrice, twice, once and zero (without replacement) throughout the eight-week period. At the end of eight week, the birds on sand litter had significantly (p<0.05) higher overall weight gain (259.58±3.51 g/bird) to those on wood shaving (243.29±3.50 g/bird) due to litter type effect. Also, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were significantly (p<0.05) affected at the end of 8th week, specifically due to litter type and interaction effect of litter type and litter replacement frequency respectively. However, birds on the sand litter replaced three times had the highest weight gain (267.40±4.65 g/bird) while birds on wood shaving replaced twice had the next weight gain (250.66±12.87 g/bird). Of the carcass traits measured only relative weight of lower back was significantly affected while pancreas alone was significantly affected (p<0.05) among the organs measured. The haematological variables were significantly (p< 0.05) affected by the interaction effect of litter types and litter replacement. Serum protein was not significantly (p>0.05) affected. In the main, it was recommended that sand litter can be replaced three times for broiler chickens raised on it while it could be replaced twice for those raised on wood shavings.
E.K. Asaniyan , J.O. Agbede and E.A.O. Laseinde , 2006. Comparative Influence of Sand and Wood Shavings Litter Replacement Frequency on the Performance of Broiler Chickens. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 1080-1087.