Effect of litter type on some welfare criteria, growth performance and carcass characteristics in broiler chickens

Broiler chicken production is a production method in which chicks derived from hybrid strains of chickens are reared intensively in deep litter houses until 35-48 days of age before being slaughtered and offered for human consumption. Broiler chickens are typically reared intensively in large-capacity, deep litter houses. A variety of litter materials have been used, including sawdust, straw, wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn cobs, rice hulls, cotton bolls, cocoa beans, sugarcane bagasse, sand, clay, treated and pelleted paper, and plastic. This study was conducted to determine the effects of different litter types used in broiler chicken production on selected welfare criteria, growth performance, and carcass characteristics.