Effect of low protein diet and chemically amended litter on growth parameters and litter quality of broiler chicken during summer season

The aim of the experiment was to study the effect of different dietary and litter amendments on ammonia concentration, growth parameters and litter quality in a broiler shed during summer season. 240 day-old, Vencobb broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four treatment groups, having 3 replicates of 20 chicks each. Control group (Tc) had no dietary and litter amendments whereas experiment groups include litter amendment with alum sulphate @ 90 g/sq ft (T_L), dietary amendment with 2 % reduction in protein content of diet and supplemented with essential amino acids (T_D) and both dietary and litter amendment (T_LD). Diets were formulated as per ICAR (2013) specifications. Birds were maintained under similar standard management practices up to 42 days of age except dietary and litter amendment. Weekly body weight gain and ammonia concentration was estimated from different treatment groups. Litter parameters like pH, moisture content and nitrogen percentage was also examined at alternate weeks. The results showed a significant (Pd”0.05) lower ammonia concentration in the litter treated groups T_L and T_LD as compared to control group. The growing chicks significantly gained more body weight gain with better FCR, EER, PER in the litter treated groups as compared to control group. Litter quality revealed a low moisture and microbial content in the litter treated groups as compared to control group. It can be concluded that treatment of litter with alum sulphate increased the body weight gain in broiler chicks by reducing the ammonia concentration in the shed along with improving the litter quality.