Dried rose (<i>Rosa damascena </i>Mill.) dreg: an alternative litter material in broiler production

Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine the effects of using dried rose dreg (DRD) as an alternative litter material for broiler performance and microbiological characteristics of litter. A total of 225 day-old broiler chicks was raised on pine wood shavings (PS), DRD and PS+DRD until 42 days. The effects of litter material on broiler performance and FCR did not differ. At 42 days the effects of DRD on microbiological characteristics differed statistically from the other treatments. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB), Enterococci, Enterobactericeae and Staphylococcus aureus counts were decreased in the DRD group at 42 days. These results indicate that DRD can be used as an alternative litter material to control microbial characteristics without a negative effect on broiler performance.


Key Words: Broiler, Dried rose dreg, Litter, Performance


SA Jnl Animal Sci Vol.34(2) 2004: 75-79