Effect of feed protein content and ventilation rate on litter quality in broiler houses

During three production cycles, effects of the dietary crude protein (CP) content on litter quality and footpad lesions were studied in the grower (day 11 – 29: 21.0 vs. 19.0% CP) and in the finisher diet (day 30-37: 20.0 vs. 18.0% CP). Broilers were housed in two identical experimental houses, each divided in two large compartments of 300 m² allowing to study additionally the effect of two ventilation curves (normal vs. higher minimum ventilation). Each compartment was subdivided in four units so that in each flock 8 groups of 1,500 birds per diet were used.
The high CP content resulted in more wet droppings. This corresponds with the higher water/feed ratio (1.82 vs. 1.71), less friable litter, lower dry matter content of the litter and more footpad lesions (26.0 vs. 4.5% moderate or severe lesions on day 36, P<0.01). Effects of the ventilation schemes were only distinct in the winter. A higher minimum ventilation in winter period resulted in less footpad lesions (20.3 vs. 47.9% lesions on day 36, P<0.01). These results demonstrate that litter quality can be improved by using adequate management and diet composition.