Dietary quality and safety in the reuse of broiler litter as a feed ingredient through fermentation and pelleting.

摘要

To modify broiler litter (BL) by fermentation and/or pelleting as a feed ingredient, BL samples were collected from 20 randomly selected farms in Saraburi province, Thailand, in December, 2006. All the farms used rice husks as bedding material. Prior to and after the modifications, the nutritive value and health risks were assessed. After fermentation, most of the nutrient contents tended to decrease (P<0.05). In contrast, moisture and gross energy contents increased (P<0.05). Pelleting did not alter the nutrient content of BL. Parasites, aflatoxins and antibiotics were not found in any BL samples. However, pathogenic microorganisms, heavy metals (cadmium and mercury) and sodium chloride were detected in all samples. All pathogens and heavy metals decreased after processing. In conclusion, fermentation followed by pelleting could eliminate health risks and increase the potential scope for utilizing BL as an animal feed.