Evaluation of Dehydrated Poultry Waste from Cage

Reared Broilers as a Feed Ingredient for Broilers

K. K. BHARGAVA AND J. B . O ' N E I L
Research Department, Crawfords Foods Limited, Wynyard, Saskatchewan SOA 4T0 and Department
of Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W0
(Received for publication December 30, 1974)

ABSTRACT Four experiments were conducted to determine the nutritional value of dehy-
drated poultry waste (D.P.W.) obtained from broilers raised in cages to market age.

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on September 19, 2016
In experiments 1 and 2 D.P.W. was incorporated into diets at varying levels on a crude
protein equivalent basis, but without adjustment of energy content. Levels up to 20% were
fed to chicks to 4 weeks of age in experiment 1. There was a significant depression in growth
when chicks were fed 10% D.P.W., but the inclusion of either 15 or 20% D.P.W. did not
result in a further depression. Feed efficiency was significantly increased when 10% D.P.W.
was included in the diet. The feeding of either 15 or 20% D.P.W. resulted in a significantly
higher feed efficiency when compared to the diet containing 10%. In experiment 2 chicks
were fed either 5 or 10% D.P.W. from 4 to 8 weeks of age. The incorporation of 10% D.P.W.
into the ration resulted in a significant decrease in body weight at 8 weeks.
Diets formulated to be both isonitrogenous (true protein basis) and isocaloric were used
in experiment 3. Levels up to 20% D.P.W. had no adverse effects on growth characteristics
and carcass quality. The results of experiment 4 indicate that availability of both methionine
and lysine was similar irrespective of the percentage of D.P.W. included in the diets.
POULTRY SCIENCE 54: 1506-1511, 1975

INTRODUCTION in the diet. The adverse effect of feeding

10% or 20% D.P.W. to broiler chicks was

T HE use of poultry waste as a feed ingre-

dient has been studied for a considerable
length of time. Fuller (1956) reported hydro-
lyzed poultry manure to be as effective as
fish meal in commercial type rations when
fed under practical conditions. Wehunt et al.
(1960) indicated that the addition of hydro-
lyzed poultry manure to diets suboptimal in
protein resulted in an improvement in growth
rate of chicks.
As a result of an increase in the size and
concentration of the production units, the
disposal of poultry waste has become a major
problem. This has stimulated further interest
in evaluating this product as a feed supple-
ment. Flegal and Zindel (1970) observed that
broiler chicks could tolerate 5% of dehydrated
poultry waste (D.P.W.) with only a slight
effect on feed conversion. Growth was de-
creased significantly when the level of
D.P.W. was increased to 10% or 20%. Feed
conversion was adversely affected directly
in proportion to the level of D.P.W. included
caused by the low energy content of the
poultry waste, since growth and feed conver-
sion were improved by adding 4.5% fat to
a diet containing 20% D.P.W.
McNab et al. (1972) using a chick diet
containing a suboptimum level of essential
amino acids substituted up to 20% poultry
manure with an adjustment in the energy
content of the rations. Growth of chicks on
experimental rations was comparable to those
fed a standard broiler ration. Biely et al. (1972)
reported that both body weight and feed
efficiency of female broiler chicks progres-
sively decreased as the amount of D.P.W.
was increased from 5 to 20%. Lee and Blair
(1973) found that 5% manure could be added
to a broiler starter and 10% to a finisher diet
without affecting growth rate. Rinehart et al.
(1973) reported a linear increase in feed
consumption and a depression in feed con-
version with limited effect on weight gain
in chicks fed rations containing up to 20%
poultry manure. The same type of response

1506
 DEHYDRATED POULTRY WASTE FOR BROILERS 1507

was observed by Sloan and Harms (1973).
The objective of this report is to indicate
the growth performance of broiler chicks fed
dried poultry waste from cage reared broilers.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The droppings used in the four trials to
be reported were obtained from cage reared
broilers after the birds were marketed at 8
air heated to approximately 40° C. After dry-
ing, the extraneous material such as feathers
was removed and the dried excreta was
ground; moisture content was approximately
7%.
Standard A.O.A.C. (1970) procedures were
used to determine proximate analysis of two
samples of D.P.W. Sample 1 was used in
experiment 2 and sample 2 was used for the
determination of metabolizable energy and

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on September 19, 2016
weeks of age. The type of cage from which for experiments 3 and 4. The amino acid
the droppings were collected was similar to composition was determined on both samples
that described by Bhargava et al. (1974) by Technicon amino acid analyzer following
except that the floors were of wooden con- acid hydrolysis. The droppings used in exper-
struction. The eight weeks accumulation of iment 1 were similar to sample 1 with respect
droppings were collected from these bat- to the crude protein.
teries, spread out and dried by exposure to The metabolizable energy (M.E.) of sample
2 was determined using the reference diet
of Hill et al. (1960) with modifications as
TABLE 1.—Proximate analyses (%) of D.P.W.
from cage reared broilers shown in Table 5. The procedure followed
was that outlined by Olson et al. (1969). The
Sample 1 Sample 2
method of Bolin et al. (1952) was utilized
Moisture 7.10 6.93
Crude protein (N x 6.25) 44.40 32.17 for the determination of chromic oxide in
True protein 15.12 13.52 samples of feed and droppings.
Crude fat 2.95 1.64
Ash 9.98 16.50 In all experiments straight-run day-old Peel
Calcium 1.34 3.38 broiler chicks were used. Experiment 1 tested
Total phosphorus 1.40 2.19
Crude fiber 10.06 15.90 the effects of graded levels of D.P.W. on
growth response of chicks to 4 weeks of age.
The different levels of D.P.W. were incorpo-
TABLE 2.—Amino acid composition of D.P. W. rated into a standard broiler starter at the
from cage-reared broilers (air dry basis)
expense of soybean meal and wheat. All diets
Sample 1 Sample 2 were adjusted to contain the same levels of
% % crude protein, calcium and phosphorus. Four
Aspartic acid 0.986 1.500 replications of 10 chicks each were used.
Threonine 0.775 0.800
Serine 0.847 1.150 In experiment 2, chicks were maintained
Glutamic acid 4.5% 2.450 on a commercial broiler starter for four weeks
Proline 2.262 1.250
Glycine 1.369 1.490 and then randomly assigned to experimental
Alanine 0.923 1.090 rations containing either 5 or 10% D.P.W.
Valine 0.764 1.100
Cystine 0.472 0.260 Birds which were fed a commercial grower-
Methionine 0.469 0.620 finisher ration from 4-8 weeks served as
Isoleucine 0.636 0.590
Leucine 1.222 1.230 controls. Two replications of 64 birds each
Tyrosine 0.729 0.580 were assigned to each treatment.
Phenylalanine 0.719 0.800
Lysine 0.764 0.930 The diets used in experiment 3 were
Histidine 0.280 0.430 computer formulated to be isonitrogenous
Arginine 1.420 1.230
Crude protein (N x 6.25) 44.40 32.17 and isocaloric. The chicks were fed the starter
Moisture 7.10 6.93 diets from 0 to 4 weeks and the grower-fin-
1508 K. K. BHARGAVA AND J. B. O ' N E I L

isher from 4 to 8 weeks of age (Table 6). TABLE 3.—Effect of feeding D.P.W. on body
The true protein content of D.P.W. was used weight, feed efficiency and performance index of
chicks (0-4 weeks)
for the formulation of these rations. A ran-
domized block design involving 4 replicates % D.P.W. Av. wt. (g.) Feed/gain P.I.
of 10 chicks each was used. 0.0 624a* 1.63a 360a
5.0 589ab 1.69ab 325b
The rations fed in experiment 3 contained 10.0 571b 1.74b 306b
sufficient methionine and lysine to meet the 15.0 551b 1.84c 275bc
20.0 556b 1.91c 268c
requirements recommended by Scott (1973).
*Numbers with different small letters are signifi-
To test the availability of these two amino cantly different (P < 0.05) from other numbers
acids in these diets, experiment 4 was de- in that column.

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on September 19, 2016
signed to ascertain the response of chicks
to diets containing the same levels of D.P.W. TABLE 4.—Average gain, feed efficiency and
performance index of chicks fed D.P. W. (4-8
as in experiment 3, but with additional weeks)
amounts of either methionine or lysine or
a combination of both. This test composed Av. gain (g.) Feed/gain P.I.
of two replications of 10 chicks each was 5% D.P.W. 959a* 2?75 350~
10% D.P.W. 921b 2.92 316
conducted for a period of 3 weeks; a factorial Commercial feed 952a 2.80 340
design was used. All experimental diets were *Numbers with different small letters are signifi-
fed in mash form. cantly different (P < 0.05) from other numbers
in that column.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION TABLE 5.—Composition of reference diet

The chemical composition of two samples Ingredients %
of D.P.W. is shown in Table 1. It will be Dextrose 41.85
observed that the crude protein varies widely Wheat (15.4% protein) 7.00
whereas the true protein is not too dissimilar. Soybean meal (46.4% protein) 28.40
Fish meal (70.0% protein) 10.00
The factor responsible for the wide variation
Dried fish solubles (37.0% protein) 1.00
in crude protein is non-protein nitrogen. This Brewers yeast (46.1% protein) 2.50
has been reported by Flegal and Zindel (1970) Dried whey (13.2% protein) 2.00
as well as by Biely et al. (1972). The total Poultry fat 3.25
ash, calcium and phosphorus in these two Limestone (38% calcium) 0.75
Dicalcium phosphate (22% calcium,
samples are lower than those reported by
18.5% phosphorus) 1.50
the above mentioned authors. This could be Iodized salt 0.25
explained on the basis of the source of Vitamin-trace mineral premix' 0.50
droppings, i.e. cage reared broilers versus Chromic Oxide mix 2 1.00
growing and laying pullets in cages. The crude 'Dawe's Laboratories of Canada, Weston, On-
fiber content is comparable to that reported tario.
2
Chromic Oxide Mix
for caged layers. Chromic Oxide 30%
Dextrose 70%
The amino acid composition as listed in
Table 2 indicates quite a variation in the varying from 0% to 20% on performance of
individual amino acids when comparing sam- chicks is shown in Table 3. A significant
ples 1 and 2. These values are higher than depression in body weight was observed when
those given by Biely et al. (1972) and Flegal the level of D.P.W. was 10% or more. Feed
and Zindel (1970). No valid reason is apparent efficiency as measured by the ratio of feed
for these variations. consumption to gain in body weight was
The effect of feeding levels of D.P.W. significantly decreased at the 10% level. A
 DEHYDRATED POULTRY WASTE FOR BROILERS 1509

TABLE 6.—Percent composition and calculated analyses of diets

Starter Grower-finisher
Ingredients 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Wheat (13.0% pro-
tein) 63.28 56.54 47.62 32.52 70.19 63.41 54.75 42.70
Soybean meal (48.5%
protein) 21.17 19.12 20.51 32.80 19.13 17.08 18.07 23.89
PBHFM 1 (72.5% pro-
tein) 6.04 7.34 6.76 0.00 2.03 3.33 2.98 0.00
Fish meal 63.6% pro-

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on September 19, 2016
tein 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20
Dicalcium phosphate 1.40 0.65 0.00 0.00 1.42 0.66 0.00 0.00
Limestone 1.17 0.97 0.79 0.52 0.89 0.69 0.50 0.24
Iodized salt 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
Poultry fat 5.99 7.82 10.05 13.21 5.40 7.22 9.42 12.22
Vitamin-trace mineral
premix 2 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
D.P.W. (13.5% true
protein) 0.00 6.67 13.33 20.00 0.00 6.67 13.33 20.00
Calculated analyses
True protein % 23.00 23.00 23.00 23.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00
M.E. (kcal./kg.) 3200.00 3200.00 3200.00 3200.00 3200.00 3200.00 3200.00 3200.00
Calcium % 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.80 0.80 0.80 0.87
Available phosphorus
% 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.45
Crude fiber % 2.39 3.25 4.11 5.00 2.41 3.27 4.13 4.99
Fat% 7.90 9.83 11.97 14.41 7.03 8.96 11.08 13.53
'Poultry by-product and hydrolyzed feather meal.
2
Dawe's Laboratories of Canada, Weston, Ontario.

TABLE 7.— Performance of broilers fed various levels of D.P.W. (0-8 weeks)

Grades (%)
% D.P.W. Av. wt. (g.) Feed/gain P.I. E.M.R. 1 A B U2
0 1758 2.40 729 3.68 58.6 17.3 21.8
6.67 1824 2.33 766 3.57 77.9 7.8 11.8
13.34 1760 2.31 744 3.72 70.6 16.1 8.3
20.00 1801 2.37 739 3.68 70.8 12.7 10.9
1
Eviscerated meat ratio.
2
Utility grade.

TABLE 8.—Effect of supplementation of methionine and lysine on growth response (0-3 weeks)

0% D.P.W. 6.67% D.P.W. 13.34% D.P.W. 20% D.P.W

Av. wt. Feed/ Av. wt. Feed/ Av. wt. Feed/ Av. wt. Feed/
Ration (g.) gain P.I. (g.) Gain P.I. <£•) gain P.I. (g.) gain P.I.
1. Control 485 1.47 301 441 1.51 263 491 1.56 288 472 1.53 281
2. #1 +0.1%meth. 475 1.38 314 463 1.49 281 471 1.44 296 466 1.39 306
3. #1 + 0.2% lysine 387 1.51 228 450 1.47 277 450 1.50 272 463 1.52 277
4. #1 + 0.1% meth. and
0.2% lysine 432 1.45 271 438 1.62 252 489 1.44 311 416 1.55 257
1510 K. K. BHARGAVA AND J. B. O ' N E I L
further depression was observed when either
15% or 20% of D.P.W. was incorporated into
the diets. Performance index (P.I.)* was
significantly lower with the addition of any
level of D.P.W. when compared to the con-
trol. The adverse effect of feeding D.P.W.
could be the result of feeding experimental
diets which were neither isonitrogenous (from
the standpoint of true protein) nor isocaloric.
Experiment 2 was designed to test the
response of chicks fed grower-finisher diets
containing either 5% or 10% D.P.W. Data
listed in Table 4 show a significant depression
in average gain when birds were fed a diet
containing 10% D.P.W. No significant dif-
ferences were observed in either feed effi-
ciency or P.I.
The metabolizable energy of sample 2 was
calculated to be 811 kcal./kg. on an air dry
basis. This value agrees quite closely with
that reported by Blair et al. (1974). A wide
range of values (480-1350 kcal./kg.) has been
reported by Shannon et al. (1973).
The diets fed in experiment 3 were iso-
nitrogenous (in terms of true protein) and
isocaloric. The performance of the birds fed
these diets is listed in Table 7. Levels of
D.P.W. up to 20% had no adverse effect upon
growth characters, edible meat ratio or
carcass grades. The low percentage of grade
A in the control diet was due to the poor
carcass value of one of the replicates. The
results obtained from this experiment indicate
that the inclusion of 20% D.P.W. in a well-
balanced diet does not adversely affect
growth characteristics or carcass values of
broilers at 8 weeks of age.
The control diets contained similar amounts
of methionine (0.50% to 0.53%) whereas the
lysine content varied from 1.15% (0% and
6.67% D.P.W.) to 1.46% (20% D.P.W.). This
increase is accounted for by the higher levels
of soybean meal in the diets containing greater
*P.I. = (Gain in body weight)2/feed consumption
x 100.
amounts of D.P.W. The addition of these
amino acids either singly or in combination
did not affect growth response as indicated
in Table 8. As well there is no interaction
between supplementation and levels of
D.P.W. in the diets. This would indicate that
these amino acids are readily available to the
chicks.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on September 19, 2016
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to acknowledge the financial as-
sistance of the National Research Council
of Canada and the advice and help of Dr.
R. E. Salmon, Research Branch, Canada
Agriculture, Swift Current, Saskatchewan,
for computer formulation.
REFERENCES
Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 1970.
Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. Washington,
D.C.
Bhargava, K. K., P. V. Rao and J. B. O'Neil, 1974.
Cage rearing of broilers on solid floors. Proc. XV
World's Poultry Congress, New Orleans: 338-340.
Biely, J., R. Soong, L. Seier and W. H. Pope, 1972.
Dehydrated poultry waste in poultry rations. Poultry
Sci. 51: 1502-1511.
Blair, R., 1974. Recycling dried poultry wastes as a
waste management system. Proc. XV World's
Poultry Congress, New Orleans: 225-227.
Bolin, D. W., R. P. King and E. W. Klosterman,
1952. A simplified method for the determination
of chromic oxide when used as an index substance.
Science, 116: 634-635.
Flegal, C. J., and H. C. Zindel, 1970. The utilization
of poultry waste as a feedstuff for growing chicks.
Research Report 117: 21-28. Michigan State Uni-
versity, East Lansing.
Fuller, H. L., 1956. The value of poultry by-products
as sources of protein and unidentified growth factors
in broiler rations. Poultry Sci. 35: 1143.
Hill, F. W., D. L. Anderson, R. Renner and L. B.
Carew, Jr., 1960. Studies of the metabolizable en-
ergy of grains and grain products for chickens.
Poultry Sci. 39: 573-579.
Lee, D. J. W., and R. Blair, 1973. Growth of broilers
fed on diets containing dried poultry manure. Brit.
Poultry Sci. 14: 379-388.
NcNab, J. M., D. J. W. Lee and D. W. F. Shannon,
 DEHYDRATED POULTRY WASTE FOR BROILERS 1511

1972. The growth of broiler chickens fed low-protein
diets containing triammonium citrate, diammonium
hydrogen citrate and autoclaved dried poultry ma-
nure. Brit. Poultry Sci. 13: 357-364.
Olson, D. W., M. L. Sunde and H. R. Bird, 1969.
The metabolizable energy content and feeding value
of mandioca meal in diets for chicks. Poultry Sci.
48: 1445-1452.
Rinehart, K. E., D. C. Snetsinger, W. W. Ragland
and R. A. Zimmerman, 1973. Feeding value of
dehydrated poultry waste. Poultry Sci. 52: 2078.
Scott, M. L., 1973. Nutrient requirements of chickens,
turkeys. Feedstuffs, 45(39): 35-36.
Sloan, D. R., and R. H. Harms, 1973. The effect
of incorporating hen manure into the diet of young
chicks. Poultry Sci. 52: 803-805.
Wehunt, K. E., H. L. Fuller and H. M. Edwards,
Jr., 1960. The nutritional value of hydrolyzed poultry
manure for broiler chickens. Poultry Sci. 39: 1057-
1063.

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on September 19, 2016
Composition and Utilization of Poultry By-Product and
Hydrolyzed Feather Meal in Broiler Diets
K . K . BHARGAVA 1 AND J. B . O ' N E I L 2
Research Department, Crawfords Foods Limited, Wynyard, Saskatchewan S0A 4T0 and2Department
of Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0WO

(Received for publication December 30, 1974)

ABSTRACT The proximate analysis with standard errors of 201 samples of poultry by-product
and hydrolyzed feather meal (PBHFM) is presented. The metabolizable energy of this product
was determined to be 2708 kcal./kg. Eight experiments were conducted to investigate the
role of PBHFM in the diet of broiler chicks. Experiments 1-3 indicated that 10% PBHFM
could replace a protein equivalent amount of soybean meal without deleterious effects. The
necessity of lysine supplementation in diets containing adequate methionine was demonstrated
in experiments 4-6. In experiment 7 the addition of 10.9% PBHFM which replaced all the
soybean meal in the starter diet of chicks when supplemented with methionine and lysine
to requirement resulted in equal performance as measured by body weight, feed efficiency,
performance index (PI), eviscerated meat ratio (EMR) and % grade A carcasses. Supplementary
isoleucine or threonine fed singly or in combination did not stimulate the growth of chicks
fed a diet containing 10.9% PBHFM.
POULTRY SCIENCE 54: 1511-1518, 1975

INTRODUCTION Naber (1961) concluded in his review that

a combined poultry by-products meal showed

P ROTEIN supplements in poultry diets

represent one of the major items of cost.
Alternate sources of these supplements might
have a beneficial effect on production cost
providing they are available at a competitive
price and are acceptable to poultry. Poultry
by-product and hydrolyzed feather meal is
a product resulting from the rendering of all
the by-products of a poultry eviscerating
plant.
Davis et al. (1961) reviewed the literature
on the processing of poultry by-products.
a better amino acid balance and could be
used with fewer limitations than feather meal
or blood meal. Naber et al. (1961) fed a
combined poultry by-product meal to growing
chickens and observed that this product
stimulated growth on a corn-soybean oil meal
ration and gave results superior to those
obtained from feather meal supplementation.
The purpose of this report was to evaluate
poultry by-product and hydrolyzed feather
meal as a protein supplement in the diet of
broiler chicks.