THE INFLUENCE OF REGENERATED LITTER ON THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND WELL-BEING OF REARING YOUNG CHICKENS

Abstract

Due to the shortage and high cost of bedding materials, the regeneration of used reinforcement and its repeated use is an urgent problem in modern poultry farming. However, at the same time, there is a threat of the negative impact of such litter on poultry. Several studies have proved the possibility of raising broiler chickens on regenerated bedding. Less studied is the option of using regenerated waste in the cultivation and maintenance of poultry with a long production cycle rearing young stock or adult birds. In the State Experimental Poultry Station National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (SEPS NAASU), the regeneration technology of used litter has been improved. In this study, the impact of the use of litter regenerated according to the developed technology in the rearing of young chickens on the microclimate of the poultry house, well-being, and zootechnical indicators of poultry was studied. The research was carried out on the experimental farm of the SEPS NAASU. According to the results of the investigation, although the initial moisture content of the regenerated litter was higher than the new one (p<0.05), after ten weeks of rearing young animals, the litter moisture content in both variants no longer had significant differences. During the growing period, the content of ammonia and carbon dioxide in the air of the experimental premises did not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations. Still, in the practical room, it was higher than in the control room, especially in the initial cultivation period. The leading difference was 4.4 mg/m3 for ammonia and 0.05% for carbon dioxide. In terms of ammonia content, the difference between the experimental and control variants was statistically significant up to 8 weeks of age (p<0.05) and carbon dioxide content up to 6 weeks of age (p<0.05). There was no negative impact of regenerated litter on the well-being indicators (condition of feather cover, knee joints, and paw feet) and zootechnical indicators of rearing young stock (safety, body weight, and feed conversion). This indicates the possibility of using regenerated litter in the rearing of young chickens without a negative impact on poultry.