Using high quality poultry litter for growing beef cattle in an intensive feeding system increases animal performance

Abstract

Ninetheen samples of poultry litter (PL) from 15 broiler farms were used to measure the variation of dry matter (DM), ash, organic matter (OM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude protein (CP), in vitro digestibility of DM and OM (IVDMD and IVOMD), indigestible CP in ADF (ICPADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and hemicellulose. All the analysis were made by duplicated. Data in (%) were: DM 85.7 ± 5.5; ash 18.6 ± 2.6, OM 81.4 ± 2.6; CP 31.6 ± 2.3; IVDMD 76.1 ± 3.2; IVOMD 72.7 ± 3.6; ICPADF 3.2 ± 0.7; NDF 28.9 ± 5.7; hemicellulose 15.2 ± 4.0. These analysis showed a high variation among the different PL for all the measurements. The PL was included at three different levels (0, 15 and 30%) in order to evaluate the performance of 33 growing Holstein bulls (220 ± 36 kg initial weight). The trial lasted for 84 days. Eleven bulls were assigned to each diet in a completely randomized design including the initial body weight (BW) as covariable. Average daily gain (1.17, 1.27 y 1.17 kg/animal) and feed efficiency (6.00, 5.78 y 6.46) were not affected (P>0.05) by level of PL. Dry matter intake increased linearly (P<0.01) due to de PL level, increasing in 24 g/day for each percent unit of PL included in the diet. Likewise, DM feed intake was increased in 0.32 g/kg BW0.75. It is possible to use up to 30% of PL in the growing diets without reducing bull performance. Cost of gain was reduced in 18.4 % (P<0.05) even when DM intake was increased with the PL.