Performance of Broilers and Occurrence of Pododermatitis as Influenced by Different Flooring and Littering Materials

The study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of broiler as affected by the occurrence of pododermatitis as influence by different floor surface and litter material. A total of one hundred fifty (150) broilers were used and was distributed into five (5) treatments. The experiment was laid out using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with the following treatments: 1- bamboo slatted floor; Treatment 2- litter floored with saw dust (4 -5 inches thick) ; Treatment 3- litter floored with rice hull (4-5 inches thick) ; Treatment 4 (1 x 1) amazon screen; Treatment 5 cage floored with (1/ 2 x 1 /2) wire mess. Insignificant result was observed on the body weight, the total gain in weight, feed conversion ratio, dressing percentage with giblets and the cut-up parts of the broilers. Significant result was observed on growth rate, cumulative feed consumption and feed conversion efficiency. Broilers raised on an amazon screen was the most efficient in converting feeds into meat over those broilers raised in a cage with bamboo slat flooring, sawdust litter, rice hull litter and wire mess. Significant differences among treatment means were observed on the occurrence of pododermatitis. Broilers raised on a bamboo slatted floor has the most score of 1.53 to 3.33 which means a lesion of 25 % to 50 % and above. broilers raised on a wire mess flooring obtained similar degree of lesion with the broilers raised on a bamboo slatted flooring with a degree of 50 % and above. The least lesion appeared on broilers raised on sawdust with a degree of lesion of 25 % (score 1 to 1.19).