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ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES Feeding Broiler ANR-557 Litter to

attle and other have a unique diges- It is important that the beef industry avoid a Ctive system that allows them to use waste and controversy over the healthfulness of beef. Broiler other types of by-products as sources of dietary nu- litter has been used as feed for several years in all trients. The cattle-feeding industry has been built areas of the country without any recorded harmful largely on the use of by-products and other materi- effects on humans who have consumed the prod- als that can be digested only by ruminants. One by- ucts of these . In addition, in Alabama, litter product that can be used as a cattle feed is broiler is most commonly fed to brood cows and stocker litter. cattle that are not usually marketed as slaughter The broiler industry has long consid- beef. Very little if any litter is in the diets of fin- ered broiler litter a problem by-product. It has been ished cattle fed for slaughter (although, allowing a used mainly as a . However, fertilizer does 15-day withdrawal period from feeding litter before not make the most efficient use of broiler litter. In slaughter, such a diet would be considered ). terms of the cost of replacing the nutrients it pro- So, the possibility of any human health hazard, ei- vides with nutrients from other sources, broiler lit- ther real imagined, is remote. ter is worth four times more as a cattle feed ingre- In sum, the use of broiler litter as a cattle feed dient than as fertilizer. Litter is a good source of offers three primary advantages: protein, energy, and minerals, especially for brood 1. It is an environmentally responsible use of a cows and stocker cattle, which are the backbone of problem by-product. the cattle industry in the state. In addition to offer- 2. It provides an incentive for the proper man- ing an economic advantage, using broiler litter in agement of this by-product by and cattle feed also helps to conserve plant nutrients. These producers alike. nutrients, , phosphorus, potassium, and 3. It economizes the production of . other mineral elements, are distributed on land as by the cattle consuming the litter. Under present conditions, broiler litter offers so Regulations on Feeding Litter many advantages that even long-distance trans- In 1967, when the FDA issued a policy state- portation does not reduce its economic value. ment that discouraged the feeding of litter and Alabama beef cattle producers can make use of this other types of wastes, there was relatively plentiful resource to substantially reduce their pro- little knowledge available on feeding broiler litter. duction costs. In 1980, after extensive testing by researchers at Most beef producers take into account the pub- universities and USDA facilities, the FDA rescinded lic perception of beef when they are considering its earlier policy statement and announced that the using waste materials as feed. There is an apparent regulation of litter should be the responsibility of reluctance on the part of the public, as well as of the state departments of . At present at some beef producers, to accept broiler litter as a least 22 states have regulations pertaining to the cattle feed. However, the public readily accepts or- marketing of litter and other animal wastes as feed ganically grown vegetablesARCHIVE grown on composted ingredients. broiler litter. The process by which a plant assimi- Presently, no federal laws or regulations control lates food into its tissues is much less complicated the sale or use of broiler litter as a feed ingredient. than the process by which a cow does the same Also, no state laws specifically regulate the feeding thing; a cow’s food is broken down and processed of animal waste and other by-products. But, several much more completely. And, in fact, a cow must states have regulations that govern the sale through be off broiler litter for 15 days before it can be commercial markets of these products intended for slaughtered for beef, while a mushroom can go di- sale as a feed ingredient. The Alabama Board of rectly from its bed of manure to the grocery store. Agriculture and Industries adopted regulations

Visit our Web site at: www.aces.edu under the Commercial Feed Law to deal with only of birds housed on the litter are not standardized or commercial transactions of processed animal waste. regulated, litter quality can vary considerably from These regulations do not address private use one producer to another. Other factors such as broil- or exchange of broiler litter or other animal er house management, the method of litter removal, waste. and moisture content can add to the variation in litter Processed broiler litter offered for sale in com- composition and quality. The average nutrient con- mercial channels as a feed ingredient must meet tent of 106 samples of broiler litter collected from certain quality standards. The regulations governing across Alabama is shown in Table 1. animal-waste feed were adopted by the Board of Agriculture and Industries and went into effect Table 1. Nutrient Content of Broiler Litter in Alabama January 1, 1977. Those regulations are listed under Components, Dry basis Average Range Agricultural Chemistry Regulation No. 9. If animal Moisture 19.5 4.70-39 waste contains drugs or drug residues, it must carry Dry matter, % 80.5 61-95 a that reads “WARNING: This product con- TDN*, % 50.0 36-64 tains drug residues; do not use within 15 days of Crude Protein, % 24.9 15-38 slaughter.” This warning should also be observed Bound Nitrogen, % 15.0 5-64 by any feeder of broiler litter. Crude Fiber, % 23.6 11-52 Minerals The beef producer, regardless of government Calcium, % 2.3 0.81-6.13 regulation of the feedstuffs used, has the responsi- Phosphorus, % 1.6 0.56-3.92 bility of selling a wholesome animal that is free Potassium, % 2.3 0.73-5.17 from drugs and toxic substances. To minimize Magnesium, % 0.52 0.19-0.88 risks from drug residues in the tissues of beef Sulfur, % 0.50 0.22-0.83 cattle that are fed litter, all litter feeding should , ppm 473 25-1,003 be discontinued 15 days before the animals are Iron, ppm 2377 529-12,604 marketed for slaughter. Litter should not be fed Manganese, ppm 348 125-667 to lactating cows, because there is no oppor- Zinc, ppm 315 106-669 tunity for a withdrawal period to ensure the elimi- Ash (minerals) 24.7 9-54 nation of residues from . Because of the sensi- 106 Samples; *TDN = Total Digestible Nutrients tivity of to copper, litter containing high Moisture. The amount of moisture in broiler concentrations of copper should not be fed to litter is determined by the management of watering these animals. These safety precautions are gener- systems in the broiler house. The moisture content ally sufficient to eliminate most health risks associ- of the litter does not vary significantly between ated with drug residues that may be associated fresh litter and litter stacked for 6 months. with broiler litter. Though moisture content is not an important For further information on regulations govern- measure of nutrient value, it will determine the ing the commercial sale of broiler litter, contact the physical quality of the feed. If the moisture content Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. is 25 percent or more, a feed mix will not flow eas- As stated previously, these regulations apply only ily through an auger. However, if the broiler litter is to broiler litter offered for commercial sale. 12 percent moisture or less, the ration may be dusty and less palatable to the cows. Some beef Nutritional Value of Broiler Litter producers see an increase in feed consumption when water is added to extremely dry mixtures of The bedding materials used in broiler houses in litter and grain just prior to feeding. Alabama are wood shavings, sawdust, peanut hulls, TDN. The Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) fig- and some shredded paper products. Poultry house ure is calculated from crude protein and crude fiber owners use these products in varying amounts for values. The energy value of broiler litter is fairly the initial bedding and as additional bedding after low in comparison to grain. However, litter that has each batch of birds. The bedding material alone is ARCHIVEa calculated value of 50 percent TDN is comparable a low-quality feed ingredient. However, with the to good-quality . Litter could be a valuable addition of feathers, waste feed, and excrement source of energy for both stocker cattle and brood from the birds, the nutrient quality of the litter im- cows. proves. Crude Protein. The average crude protein The kind of bedding material used in a broiler level of the samples analyzed was 24.9 percent. house has little effect on the quality of the litter More than 40 percent of the crude protein in litter when it is used for feeding cattle. Because the can be in the form of nonprotein nitrogen. The amount of bedding used and the number of batches nonprotein nitrogen is mostly uric acid that is

2 excreted by poultry. Young ruminants do not utilize to conventional feed ingredients. Copper, for exam- non-protein nitrogen as readily as more mature ple, is usually not fed at more than 150 ppm in beef cattle. So, for best performance, feed broiler beef cattle diets. Higher levels can cause copper litter to beef cattle weighing more than 400 toxicity. A brood cow herd fed broiler litter during pounds. the 120-day winter feeding period could receive Bound Nitrogen. When feed ingredients over- more than 600 ppm of copper. The excess copper heat, the nitrogen becomes insoluble (bound), and will build up in the tissue, but it is usually not cattle can digest it less easily. The bound nitrogen harmful. The copper tissue level will usually return in the litter samples analyzed in this study averaged to normal after the summer period, when 15 percent of the total nitrogen. In litter that no broiler litter is consumed. showed signs of overheating, more than 50 percent Young stocker cattle fed a growing ration of 50 of the total nitrogen was bound nitrogen. percent litter and 50 percent grain will consume Studies have shown that as the amount of copper in excess of 225 ppm. Young cattle, espe- bound nitrogen increases, the dry-matter digesti- cially those compromised by disease, can tolerate bility decreases. Thus, overheating significantly re- this high level of copper for only 180 to 200 days. duces the feeding value of the litter. Methods for Feeding stockers on broiler litter for less than 180 managing the temperature of stored litter are dis- days will significantly reduce copper toxicity prob- cussed in the section on processing and storing lems. broiler litter. Ash. Ash in litter is made up of minerals from Crude Fiber. Crude fiber composed an average feed, broiler excrement, bedding material, and soil. of 23.6 percent of the samples analyzed. The fiber Ash content is one of the important measures of comes mainly from chicken bedding materials such the quality of litter. The samples analyzed con- as wood shavings, sawdust, and peanut hulls. tained an average of 24.7 percent ash. Ash con- Bedding usually consists of finely ground, short tents of more than 28 percent are too high and fiber materials. should not be fed to beef cattle. The fiber in litter cannot effectively meet the Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and trace ’s need for fiber, because cattle also need minerals make up about 12 percent of the ash in long roughage to maintain their digestive systems broiler litter; the remaining ash is soil. Care should properly. Cattle fed litter will naturally crave and be taken to keep the ash content, especially the readily consume long roughage. Even though the soil percentage, as low as possible if the litter is to fiber content of litter is high, it is recommended be used for cattle feed. Most soil is incorporated that additional fiber be fed in the form of long hay into litter during removal from the broiler house 1 or other roughage at a level of ⁄2 pound per 100 and loading on trucks for transportation. pounds of body weight. Minerals. Broiler litter is an excellent source of Processing and Storing Broiler Litter minerals. In fact, brood cows fed a diet of 80 per- Broiler litter, like any other feed ingredient, has cent litter and 20 percent grain will consume five potential hazards associated with its use. Many times more calcium, phosphorus, and potassium common feed ingredients have risks associated than required. with pesticide residues, mycotoxins such as afla- The excess minerals are not a problem except toxin, and even nitrate toxicity. Broiler litter has po- under specific conditions. The 2 percent calcium tential hazards associated with pathogenic bacteria, level, in the presence of an imbalance of other such as Salmonella, and residues from medicated minerals, can cause milk fever in beef cows at calv- poultry rations, such as , coccidiostats, ing. This risk can be reduced by removing brood copper, and arsenic. All litter, regardless of its cows from a litter ration before calving or by pro- source, should be processed to eliminate path- viding at least half of their feed as hay or other ogenic organisms. roughage. It is not knownARCHIVE exactly how many days Some broiler producers are considering the before calving a cow should be removed from lit- composting of dead birds in piles of broiler litter. ter. However, based on milk fever studies with Although this method might acceptably solve the , 30 days should be adequate. Milk fever problem of dead bird disposal, litter used in this may be a problem with a small number of cows way should not be used as a feed source for beef after parturition. Therefore, brood cows consum- cattle. The potential for disease transmission to the ing broiler litter at calving should be checked cattle has not been determined, and until research often. is complete, it is recommended that such litter not The micro-minerals, copper, iron, and magne- be used as a feed ingredient. sium are also present in larger amounts compared

3 Processing of broiler litter as a feed ingredient With proper storage there is very little loss in can be accomplished by any one of several meth- quality, even when litter is stored for more than 5 ods: years. However, some precautions must be taken to 1. Litter can be mixed with other feed ingredi- ensure a good-quality litter at feeding time. ents and ensiled to encourage acid production that Heat is the one thing that reduces the quality of is common with corn or . When en- broiler litter in the stack. Excessive heating reduces siling litter with corn or sorghum silage, add litter the digestibility of the dry matter in the litter. Fresh at 20 to 30 percent of the dry matter of the silage stacked litter develops heat spontaneously. Trials crop. have been conducted using a number of chemical 2. Litter can be directly acidified to achieve es- additives such as or acid, as well as other pro- sentially the same effect. cedures, to limit the heating of stacked litter. 3. Litter can be heat-treated as would occur Excessive heating (more than 140 degrees F) during mechanical drying or pelleting of feeds. can be controlled by limiting the moisture content 4. The most economical and by far the most of the litter to less than 25 percent and by limiting practical method of processing litter is deep the litter’s exposure to air. Some producers use stacking. A temperature of 130 degrees F or higher farm tractors to exclude oxygen when packing will occur in the stack within 5 days. To ensure the broiler litter. This process will reduce overheating, elimination of Salmonella and other potential but it is also expensive. Storing broiler litter in an pathogens, the litter should be deep-stacked for at upright silo has been shown to be an excellent least 20 days. Studies have demonstrated that path- storage procedure. However, litter is abrasive on ogenic bacteria (intentionally added to litter at lev- silage handling equipment. els higher than encountered in infected litter) were Sealing the broiler litter stack with 6 mil poly- killed when litter was deep-stacked for 5 days. ethylene to exclude oxygen is the least expensive Longer stacking times are recommended to ensure method of heat control. Polyethylene should be a good margin of safety from pathogens. used if the stack is under a or if it is outside. In addition to the heat generated in stacked lit- Figure 1 shows the temperature profile of two ter, resulting from the degradation of uric stacks of litter 12 feet deep, one uncovered and the acid and urea, which are common nitrogen com- other covered with polyethylene. To destroy pounds in litter, also kills pathogenic organisms. At pathogens in the litter, the temperature should 140 degrees F, bacteria such as Salmonella, tuber- reach 130 degrees F. If the temperature is 160 de- cule bacilli (associated with avian and bovine tu- grees F or higher, the protein becomes bound and berculosis), and pathogens excreted with are killed within an hour. There is essentially no risk Figure 1. Temperature profile for litter, measured 4 feet involved with transmitting diseases through the from top of stack feeding of litter if the litter has been deep stacked for a period of 20 days or more, and the stack has reached an internal temperature of 130 degrees F or more. Antibiotics fed to broiler are not a problem when the litter is fed to beef cattle. Many of the antibiotics are degraded by present in the litter as it is processed. Furthermore, essentially all the antibiotics approved for chickens are also approved for cattle. Mycotoxins such as aflatoxin are not a cause for concern when feeding litter to cattle. Molds that produce mycotoxins do notARCHIVE grow well in litter be- cause it is alkaline, because it releases ammonia that is toxic to molds, and because the growth of molds is limited to surfaces exposed to air. Deep- stack processing of litter helps to curtail mold growth. Broiler litter is usually handled in bulk and transported in fairly large amounts. Thus, some beef producers store litter in 100- to 300-ton stacks.

4 digestibility decreases. In both stacks of litter, the Ration 3 is formulated for growing stocker cat- temperature was in excess of 130 degrees F for 21 tle. Stocker cattle weighing 500 pounds will con- days. The litter covered with polyethylene achieved sume about 3 percent of their body weight of this a temperature high enough to eliminate pathogens ration. Healthy stocker cattle that have been but did not overheat and decrease nitrogen di- wormed, vaccinated, implanted, and otherwise gestibility. The litter stack that was not covered managed as recommended should gain an average reached a temperature 27 degrees F higher than the of 2 pounds daily when fed this ration. covered stack. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate various feed combinations and sources of Suggested Rations roughages for feeding stocker . In summary, these studies showed that feeding some additional Because the nutrient levels in broiler litter are roughage to stocker calves consuming the broiler variable, the suggested rations in Table 2 should be litter mix was necessary. Feeding the roughage in a used only as a guide. A supplement of vitamin A free-choice manner resulted in an increase in daily should be added to all broiler litter rations because gains of .25 pounds per day over those that were litter is almost totally devoid of this nutrient. limit-fed at a level of .5 percent of body weight per Adding Bovatec or Rumensin will decrease the inci- day (i.e., a half pound of hay per 100 pounds of dence of bloat when feeding stockers. body weight). In addition to cracked corn, other Table 2. Suggested Rations feeds have given similar results when mixed with a b a, b broiler litter. Studies have shown that all of the corn Ration Number 1 2 3 can be replaced with hulls with equal re- Dry Brood Lactating Stockers Cow Cow sults. Another common ingredient to use is hominy feed, which is a corn product that is already Ingredients Pounds ground. Broiler Litter 800 650 500 Feeding Ration 3 to stockers during the condi- Cracked Corn 200 350 500 Total Pounds 1,000 1,000 1,000 tioning period and during the typical winter deficit Nutritional Content, % grazing period has been shown to improve total gain. Research has also demonstrated that stocking Dry Matter 80.5 82.2 83.8 TDN 62.6 68.3 70.3 rates can be increased and rates of gain maintained Crude Protein 18.1 16.4 14.7 by feeding the ration free-choice on winter grazing Crude Fiber 21.2 17.2 13.6 crops. Stockering cattle on summer pasture alone Calcium 1.6 1.27 0.96 has produced only 1 pound daily gain. Providing Phosphorus 1.30 1.11 0.93 Ration 3 free-choice increased the rate of gain to aAdd vitamin A at 1,500 I. U. per pound of feed. more than 2 pounds daily and increased the total bRumensin or Bovatec can be added to feed at 150 milligrams per day for ani- mals weighing less than 700 pounds and 200 milligrams per day for animals pounds of beef produced. So, supplementing both weighing more than 700 pounds. winter and summer grazing for stocker cattle with the broiler litter ration results in an increased eco- In Table 2, Ration 1 is calculated for use as the nomic return. major ration for dry beef cows until 3 to 4 weeks Since only about one third of the broiler litter before calving. Hay or some other roughage should presently produced in the state is high enough in be provided to maintain normal function. quality to be fed to beef cattle, all litter that is fed Approximately 5 pounds per day of long hay should be tested for nutrient content. Beef pro- should be adequate. A 1,000-pound dry cow will ducers should use broiler litter that is at least require 20 to 24 pounds of Ration 1 during the win- 18 percent crude protein and is less than 28 ter months for maintenance. Corn that is mixed percent ash. Not more than 25 percent of the with broiler litter should be cracked or ground. crude protein should be bound or insoluble. Cattle that are fed mixtures of litter and Other nutrient levels are important also, but these corn or other grainsARCHIVE tend to waste more feed than are the most critical measures of quality. The nutri- when fed ground grain mixtures. ent content of broiler litter can be determined by Ration 2 is formulated for the lactating brood submitting a sample through the Feed and cow. Fed at about 25 pounds daily, this ration will Analysis Program, Alabama Cooperative Extension furnish adequate nutrients during the winter System, Auburn University. Your local Extension of- months. Some long hay or other roughage will be fice can provide information and materials for sub- needed for both the lactating brood cow and the mitting a sample for analysis. dry cow for normal rumen function.

5 Conclusion Broiler litter has been used as a cattle feed in- gredient for several years without harmful effects to humans who have consumed products of these ani- mals. The purpose of this publication is neither to promote nor to condemn the feeding of litter, but rather to serve as a source of information on using litter as a feed ingredient. Due to the unique ability of ruminant animals to digest , other fibrous materials, and inor- ganic nitrogen such as urea, there is a growing awareness worldwide that by-products of agricul- ture and the food processing industry can serve as low-cost, alternative feed sources for these animals. The use of broiler litter as an alternative feedstuff may become more widespread as the need for economy in agriculture and for responsible waste management becomes more urgent.

Darrell Rankins, Associate Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences, Auburn University. ARCHIVEOriginally prepared by B.G. Ruffin and Norwood J. Van Dyke, former Extension Animal Scientists, and T.A. McCaskey, Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences, Auburn University. For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone di- rectory under your county’s name to find the number. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, ANR-557 sex, age, veteran status, or disability. UPS, 5M16, Revised May 2000, ANR-557