Nutritive value of supplements containing poultry droppings/litter for sheep and goats

Three low cost concentrate supplements containing (1) poultry droppings (PD) 30% (2) PD 22.7% + poultry litter (PL) 7.5% and (3) PD 15% + 15% PL were processed into pellets. These were fed to meet protein requirements along with chopped sorghum straw in metabolism experiments to 18 adult Nellore rams and 18 adult local non-descript (ND) goats. Nutritive value of sorghum straw was evaluated in a metabolism study by feeding it as the sole feed to four adult Nellore rams and four adult local ND goats. Supplements had no effect on DM and water intakes. Goats consumed more (P < 0.01) DM 100 kg−1 BW and less water kg−1 DMI than sheep. The digestibilities of all nutrients except ether extract were comparable in all three diets. Goats had higher (P < 0.01) digestibilities of all nutrients except CP, ether extract and energy than sheep. All animals had positive N, Ca and P balances. Digestible protein and TDN contents were comparable on all diets. The nutritive value obtained by difference was similar for all supplements and species of animal. These results indicate that poultry droppings can be incorporated in amounts up to 30% in concentrate supplements in the diets of sheep and goats, and that poultry litter can replace poultry droppings in amounts up to 50%, without any deleterious effect. Further, goats were superior to sheep in utilizing these supplements.