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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Booneville, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #65623
Title: CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS IN DIFFERENT PARTICLE SIZE FRACTIONS OF DEEP-STACKED BROILER LITTER

Author
item CRUTCHFIELD, D - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item Goetsch, Arthur
item JOHNSON, Z - UNIV OF ARKANSAS

Submitted to: Bioresource Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The distribution of chemical constituents relating to feeding value for ruminants in different particle size fractions (sieved with apertures of 4.75, 2.36, 1.18, 0.6, 0.3, 0.15, 0.075, and 0 mm) of four sources of deep-stacked broiler litter typical of Arkansas were determined. Mean particle size of dry matter varied considerably among broiler litter sources with relatively similar production conditions, and differences among litter sources in mean particle size of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber did not coincide well with those for dry matter. Marked differences in concentrations of chemical constituents occurred only between very small (i.e., less than 0.15 mm) and larger particles. However, very small particles contributed relatively little to litter dry matter. Quadratic changes in concentrations of chemical constituents occurred as particle size increased. Feeding value for ruminants of deep-stacked broiler litter may not be appreciably altered by a simple separation into one small and one large particle size fraction based on quantities of various particle size fractions and concentrations of these chemical constituents. Nonetheless, effects of differences in physical characteristics between such fractions of broiler litter on digestive function when comprising large portions of ruminant diets are unknown and deserve further research, particularly because of relatively small differences in concentrations of chemical constituents in particle size fractions comprising most of deep-stacked broiler litter.

Technical Abstract: The distribution of chemical constituents relating to feeding value for ruminants in different particle size fractions of deep-stacked broiler litter typical of Arkansas were determined. Four sources of litter from production units after five or more broiler growing periods were deep-stacked and sieved with apertures of 4.75, 2.36, 1.18, 0.6, 0.3, 0.15, 0.075 and 0 mm. In general, ash concentration (%) decreased then increased as sieve aperture increased [1.94-(5.46*SA)+(0.94*SA2)+ (1.12*UASH), R2=0.63; SA=sieve aperture in mm and UASH=% ash in unsieved litter]. Crude protein concentration (%) decreased with increasing sieve aperture, being lowest for dry matter retained on screens with 1.18- (three sources) or 2.36- mm aperture (one source), and increased with further increase in aperture [44.40-(20.01*SA)+(3.59*SA2); R2=0.52]. A prediction equation for neutral detergent fiber concentration (%) was -8.90+(13.40*SA)-(2.41*SA2)+(0.96*UNDF) (R2=0.56), with UNDF=neutral detergent fiber concentration (%) in unsieved litter. Mean particle size was 1.05, 0.85, 0.79 and 1.53 mm (SE 0.060) for dry matter; 0.81, 0.83, 0.70 and 1.55 mm (SE 0.078) for ash; 1.18, 0.86, 0.82 and 1.52 mm (SE 0.054) for organic matter; 0.75, 0.72, 0.65 and 1.19 mm (SE 0.052) for crude protein; and 1.33, 0.92, 0.86 and 1.49 mm (SE 0.062) for neutral detergent fiber for broiler litter sources A, B, C and D, respectively. In summary, marked differences in concentrations of chemical constituents occurred only between very small (i.e., less than 0.15 mm) and larger particles; very small particles contributed relatively little to total litter dry matter; and quadratic changes in concentrations of chemical constituents occurred as particle size increased.