Kemin Agri Foods South Asia: presentation on “Wet Litter – Common Causes and Control Measures”

 Kemin Agri Foods South Asia delivered presentation on “Wet Litter – Common Causes and Control Measures” in Veterinary College, Namakkal of TamilNadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal as a part of its Silver Jubilee Celebration  had organized National Seminar on " Integrated Management of Arthropod Pests of Livestock and Poultry in the aftermath of Global Warming and Climate Change" on 21^st April 2010.

 

In this seminar, Dr.R.Chanthirasekaran, Sr. Product Manager of Kemin Industries South Asia Pvt Ltd, had given the presentation on "Wet Litter in Poultry - Common Causes and Control Measures".

Excess water when added to litter material due to excretion of urine, faeces and spillage of water leads to the problem of wet litter. Wet litter occurs when the evaporation rate is lower than the addition of water into the litter material. Due to wet litter, the farmer incurs a loss of Rs.2/- per bird in terms of diseases, carcass condemnation, litter management. The possible causes of wet litter problems are due to nutritional imbalances, anti-nutritional factors, toxins, pathogens that affect normal digestive physiology or the effect of these causes on gut micro flora. The other cause is poor farm management due to spillage of water into the litter material.

High intake of the minerals potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfate or chloride can lead to excessive water consumption and wet droppings. Poor quality dietary fat or rancid fat can lead to wet fecal droppings. Likewise, using feed ingredients such as wheat, barley, tapioca will often result in excessively wet droppings. Mycotoxins are known to irritate the digestive tract and to cause marked pathological changes in the kidneys. Ochratoxin, Oosporin and Citrinin are mycotoxins known to cause these changes. Such changes can lead to increased water consumption and wet droppings. The pathogens may directly damage the alimentary canal resulting in diarrhoea. Secondary effects may occur where birds go off feed but maintain water consumption, resulting in a higher moisture content of the droppings. Coccidia infections result in direct damage to the gut and will result in wet droppings. Bacterial infections caused by Escherichia coli, C. perfringens and Camphylobacter jejuni will result in wet litter. The viral infection such as adeno virus, reo virus and paramyxo virus will also result in watery droppings.

Enzymes, Probiotics, Prebiotics, Mycotoxin binders, Immuno modulators and anti-coccidial drugs will be of great help to overcome wet litter problems while using the balanced diet for chickens with reducing anti-nutritional factors. Next generation probiotic CloSTAT will be of use in controlling wet litter due to Necrotic enteritis.

The management of litter becomes critical as it significantly influence the performance of the bird and ultimately the profits of the customers.  Proper management of litter helps to improve the in house environmental condition. Any investment customers make in maintaining ideal environmental conditions for their broilers will potentially return a significant dividend.

The seminar was attended by more than 50 scientists from all over the country. Kemin sponsored the dinner for the delegates.