Coliforms in five kinds of built-up broiler litter

Built-up coffee hulls, rice straw, bean straw, sugar cane bagasse and wood shavings broiler litters were tested as alternative materials for fresh wood shavings. for broiler chicken under the stocking density of 12 birds/m(2), during the wet and dry seasons in Brazil. The average humidity of the litters during the 45 days of raising was 20.9% and 19.8%, with the built-up litters varying from 18.3% to 23.1% and from 17.6% to 20.8% (23.1% and 20.5% in the fresh wood shavings litters) in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The average humidity at the last two weeks of raising was 24.4% and 24.1%, with the built-up litters varying from 20.8% to 26.5% and from 20.8% to 26.1% (26.5% and 24.6% in the fresh wood shavings litters) in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Ammonia was below 5ppm in the air at chicken level. The average of the most probable number of coliforms per gram of litter (MPNC), observed during the 45 days of raising, was 10(6.29) and 10(5.81) in the wet and dry seasons, with variation from 10(6.05) to 10(6.74) and from 10(5.31) to 10(6.67) (10(6.74) and 10(5.92) in the fresh wood shaving litters) in the built-up litters. respectively. The average MPNC observed at 38 and 45 days of utilization was 10(5.52) and 10(5.64) with variation from 10(5.10) to 10(5.92) and from 10(5.02) to 10(6.07) (10(5.92) and 10(5.58) in the fresh wood shavings litters), respectively. In both studies, coliforms presented a quadratic curve with the highest titers (approximately 10(8) and 10(7) in the wet and dry seasons, respectively) occurring between 17 and 24 days of raising. The humidity in the litters increased in a linear curve in both studies. Coliform population depended more on the fecal and humidity accumulations than the materials characteristics. The alternative material tested were considered adequate for broiler litter use.