MODERN FEEDING REGIME FOR THE CONTROL OF AMMONIA GAS PRODUCTION FROM POULTRY LITTER IN BROILER PRODUCTION

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effects of Rosemary leaf meal (RLM) and Sodium Bentonite (SB) on litter characteristics of broilers. A total of 180 day-old chicks of Cobb 500 strain of broilers were used for the study. The birds were randomly grouped and allocated to six (6) dietary treatments, which contained, T1(0g RLM+0g SB) and served as Control, T2(0g RLM+15g SB), T3(3g RLM+0g SB), T4(3g RLM+15g SB), T5(6g RLM+0g SB) and T6(6g RLM+15g SB), respectively, pe kilogramme of feed, with 30 birds per treatment. Each treatment was replicated 3 times with 10 birds per replicate in a 2*3 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD). The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, litter samples were collected and analyzed according to treatments, to determine the pH, moisture and ammonia contents. The results showed that there were significant (p<0.05) decrease in pH level, from (7.75 to 7.07), and ammonia gas content (11.8 to 9.62ppm). The interaction effect of RLM and SB on litter characteristics at
8weeks of the experiment showed significant (p<0.05) decrease in ammonia (12.37 to 8.13ppm), pH level (7.80 to 6.23), and moisture content (16.47 to 13.73) in T4. It was concluded that, 15g SB and 3g RLM per kg feed improved litter characteristics by reducing ammonia gas production in the litter, and thus, recommended that 15g SB and 3g RLM should be used by farmers to improve litter characteristics in order to control odour in poultry houses.