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

Sixteen lambs ranging in a ge between 9-12 m onths with l ive body weight 30-32 kg were u sed in a n e xperiment with 12-week periods to det ermine the effects of dietary deep stack broiler litter level on growth performance. Deep s tack was prepared in an underground s ilo pi t (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 i ntake as g/ kg m etabolic b ody weight were not found to be different from each other except for h igher inclusion rate wh ich increased ( P <0.05). At higher inclusion rate both to tal ga in a nd the average daily gain in creased (P <0.05). A lso feed conversion ratio was not a ffected by inclusion of deep stack broiler l itter excep t for t he hi gher inclusion rat e (P <0.05). When inclusion rat e o f deep stack broiler l itter i s increased the l ambs tend to consume more wat er. There was a s ignificant ( P <0.05) d ifference among rat ions on diges tibility of dry matter ( DMD), crude fibre (CFD) and A sh content (AshD). Animal fed on ration A and C had a h igher DMD, CFD and A shD than ration B and D. Hence there was no significant (P <0. 05) difference among rations on digestibility of organic mat ter (OMD), crude protein ( CPD), ether extract (EED), Ca and P. The nitrogen intake was increased while t he i nclusion rat e o f deep stack broiler l itter i ncreased. However there was a s ignificant (P <0. 05) difference among rations on N intake. Whereby there was no s ignificant difference (P <0. 05) among rat ions on f eaces N, u rine N and N-retention. There was a s ignificant (P <0.05) di fference in t he 3 pH and the concentration of NH -N in the rumen liquor a mong rations, w hich a higher v alue of N H3-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 r ation A and D than ration B and C. The co st of one kg body weight gain was lowering as the b roiler l itter i nclusion rat e i ncreased and then raised at 45% inclusion rat e. It could be concluded that f eeding deep stacked broiler litter with the levels o f 1 5, 3 0 and 45% concentrate inclusion rate to lambs im pose no harmful effect o n their h ealth or c ausing a severe reduction in their body p erformance and it was shown t hat it is a saf e f eed without any determinant effects on l amb's health. Even more i t was a cheap feed and produced a reasonable gr owth rat e wi thout causing any remarkable decr ease i n dai ly feed intake.