Effects of moisture content in quail litter on the physical characteristics after pelleting using a Siriwan Model machine.

Quail litter (QL), a combination of accumulated quail manures, feathers, spilled feed and bedding materials, is a potential plant fertilizer, ruminant feed ingredient and other value-added applications. In general, utilization of this litter has been limited to within a few kilometers of quail farms, because it has low density. Pelleting is one possible way to enhance storage, transportation and off-site utilization. The purposes of this study were to show the procedures of pelleting and determine the effects of moisture content in fresh QL on the values of physical characteristics. Results obtained showed that bulk and particle densities of QL pellets decreased and increased, respectively, with an increase in moisture content. Porosity, durability, rupture force and decomposition were also affected by moisture content. Pelleting increased the bulk density of QL. Thus, this method more economically transported the litter from the quail farm to distant areas.