Broiler litter as nitrogen supplement for cattle

Abstract

Two groups of 17 and 16 castrated yearling steers respectively were offered 3 kg/day of broiler litter (treatment T₁ ) or native pasture without broiler litter (T₂). The animals remained in native pasture with stocking rate of 3 ha per steer, for both treatments. Crude protein content of broiler litter was 20.4% and for native pasture 3.6% on a dry matter basis. The experimental period comprised 84 days, between 17.6.1981 and 9.9.1981. Within this period were observed the following body weight variations for each whole group: T₁ : +103.5kg and T₂:-193.5 kg (P<0.05). Nineteen weeks after the end of the experiment, animals were weighed, the body weight being the same, independent of the treatment to which the animals were formerly assigned. This was sufficient to conclude that there was no residual effect from treatments, and no compensatory gain was observed for the unsupplemented group.