The Effect of Dietary Protein and Phosphorus on Ammonia Concentration and Litter Composition in Broilers

N. S. Ferguson, R. S. Gates, J. L. Taraba, A. H. Cantor, A. J. Pescatore, M. L. Straw, M. J. Ford, D. J. Burnham

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

95 Scopus citations

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine whether broiler litter concentration of N and P and equilibrium NH3 gas concentration can be reduced by reducing dietary CP and P levels and supplementing with amino acids and phytase, respectively, without adversely affecting bird performance. Equilibrium NH3 gas concentration above the litter was measured. The experiment was divided into a starter period (1 to 21 d) and grower period (22 to 42 d), each having two different CP and P levels in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The CP treatments consisted of a control with a mean CP of 204 and 202 g/kg for starter and grower periods, respectively, and a low CP diet with means of 188 and 183 g/kg, respectively, but with similar amino acid levels as the control. The P treatments comprised starter and grower control diets containing means of 6.7 and 6.3 g/kg P, respectively, and low P treatment means of 5.8 and 5.4 g/kg P supplemented with 1.0 g/kg phytase. Reducing starter diet CP by 16 g/kg reduced weight gain by 3.5% and, hence, body weight at 21 d of age, but did not affect feed intake or feed efficiency. Reducing P did not affect feed intake and weight gain, but improved feed efficiency by 2.0%. Responses in feed intake and efficiency to CP depended on the level of dietary P. For the grower period there were no significant differences in feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency, nor in body weight at 42 d of age, after correcting for 21-d body weight, between CP and P treatments. There were significant (P < 0.001) reductions in litter N and P concentrations, but not equilibrium NH3 gas concentration, moisture content, or pH, for low CP and P diets. Mean equilibrium NH3 gas concentration was 63 ppm. Litter N concentration was reduced 16.3% with the low CP diets, and litter P by 23.2% in low P treatments. The results suggest that dietary manipulation shows merit for reducing litter N and P concentrations while maintaining acceptable production performance from broilers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1085-1093
Number of pages9
JournalPoultry Science
Volume77
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1998

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the technical and financial support of Heartland Lysine Inc. In addition this work was partly funded by USDA Regional Project S-261, ªInterior Environment and Energy Use in Poultry and Livestock Facilitiesº.

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Ammonia
  • Broiler
  • Crude protein
  • Litter composition
  • Phytase

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Animal Science and Zoology

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