Broiler Litter in Ruminant Diets -implications

Use of byproducts in ruminant diets can decrease production costs and increase total production. Chemical and physical characteristics of byproduct feedstuffs and animal nutrient requirements determine most appropriate means of use. Broiler litter is high in ruminally degraded crude protein and moderate to low in available energy concentration; therefore, most efficient use is as a crude protein supplement with low-protein forages such as cereal grain residues. However, because of low cost, broiler litter is frequently included in diets at moderate to high levels. In this regard, dietary substitution of broiler litter moderate to high in digestibility for forage does not decrease digestible energy or organic matter intake since greater total intake compensates for relatively low digestibility of broiler litter. Optimal levels of forage in broiler litter-based diets for high digestible organic matter intake by growing steers may be slightly greater than required for proper rumen function. Primary factors restricting efficiency of use of broiler litter at high dietary levels and with animals having high nutrient requirements involve low available energy and ruminally undegraded protein levels. Pertaining to the latter limitation, ruminally undegraded protein concentration in feedstuffs high in ruminally degraded protein, such as soybean meal, can be increased by mixing with broiler litter before the heat treatment process of deep-stacking. Another potential novel use of unique conditions in the broiler litter deep-stack is in decreasing condensed tannin concentration in added substrates. In conclusion, besides an associated lessening of feedstuff expenses and increasing potential production with set resources, broiler litter inclusion in ruminant diets can improve sustainability of livestock and poultry production through bioresource recycling.