A completely randomized design experiment was conducted to determine the suitability of refused tea (RT) as a litter material for broiler chickens. Physiochemical properties of RT were compared with paddy husk (PH). Subsequently, broilers were raised on RT- or PH-based litter to compare the performances and litter qualities. Twenty-day-old broiler chicks (n = 150) were randomly allocated into 6 deep litter pens so that each treatment had 3 replicates. Chicks received 0.8 ft(2) of floor spacing until d 28 and 1.3 ft(2) thereafter. Each cage had a feeder and a drinker. Litter materials and litter samples taken on 28, 35, and 39 d were analyzed for bulk density, moisture, ash, and N. Chick mortality was low (1.3%) and similar on 2 types of litters. Live weights on d 28, 35, 39, and weight gains, feed intakes, dressing percentages, and feed conversion ratios were not affected by the type of litter material. The bulk density, moisture level, and pH of the RT were comparable with PH. Even though the water-holding capacity of PH (213%) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than RT (70%), the latter material had significantly higher (P < 0.01) water-releasing capacity compared with the former (17.9 vs. 13.6%). Throughout the experiment the RT litter had around 10% units higher moisture level than PH litter. By d 39, the moisture content of the RT litter was (48%) significantly higher (P = 0.05) than PH litter (37%). The N contents of RT litter were higher (P < 0.05) than those of PH on d 28, 35, and 39, being 8.1, 7.8, and 7% and 3.4, 3.6, and 3%, respectively. It was concluded that RT could be successfully used as an alternative litter material for broilers. A higher N content in RT-based spent broiler litter would make it be a better organic fertilizer and ruminant feed compared with PH-based litter.

The factors affecting purchasing and consumption of meat are diverse and complex. The objective of this study was to understand the social and cultural parameters associated with the meat purchasing and consumption pattern of southern province in Sri Lanka. Pre-tested structured questionnaire was employed to collect information from 265 consumers. All the respondents consumed at least one kind of animal product. Only 1 % of respondents did not consume any type of meat. Eighty five percent of the respondents had established their meat consumption pattern at their child age. The religious believes (74 %), economic concerns (47 %) and antipathy for killing animals (82 %) were the most popular reasons for not being meat consumers. The most preferred meat types were chicken followed by mutton, beef and pork. There was a significant correlation between the type of meat consumed and sex, religion, family size but not with type of market (rural vs. urban), education level and occupation. An inverse relationship was found between age and meat consumption. Financial capabilities, religious concerns and preference of children were the priority determinant that influenced the purchasing behaviour of meat and meat products. It was concluded that the meat and meat product market in Sri Lanka should be diversified to match with the diverse preferences for different meat types.

The objective of this study was to compare the emission of NH(3) from 3 types of broiler litters. Three litter materials (refused tea, RT; sawdust, SDT; and paddy husk, PH) were randomly assigned into 18 cages. Twenty-day-old broiler chicks (n = 216) were randomly allocated into cages and were fed a commercial broiler finisher diet from 21 to 42 d. Three litter samples were taken from each cage on 36 and 42 d. Three subsamples taken from each cage were pooled and analyzed for moisture, pH, and N. Litter samples were incubated for 5 h, and the emitted NH(3) was trapped with boric acid and then titrated with HCl to determine the NH(3) emissions. The emission of NH(3) from RT litter (13.2 mg/kg of litter per h) on d 36 was 61% less than that from SDT and PH. The NH(3) emission rate of RT litter on d 42 (13.0 mg/kg per h) was very similar to that on d 36 (13.2 mg/kg per h). However, emission rates of SDT and PH on d 36 increased by 57.8 and 33%, respectively, when determined on d 42. Emission of NH(3) from RT litter on d 42 (13.0 mg/kg per h) was significantly (P < 0.05) less than that from SDT (54 mg/kg per h) and PH (44 mg/kg per h) litters. When the emission rate was computed as grams of NH(3)/hour/animal unit (AU), the emission rates of RT litter on d 36 (3.4 g/h per AU) and 42 (5.1 g/h per AU) were significantly (P < 0.05) less than that of SDT and PH. The N contents of the RT litter on 36 and 42 d were 6.6 and 6.7%, respectively, and were significantly (P < 0.001) greater than the respective values of SDT and PH. It was concluded that emission of NH(3) from poultry houses could be reduced substantially by using RT as a litter material.

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With the ban on the use of antibiotic growth promotants (AGP) in animal industry, search for alternatives to AGP has received a renewed scientific attention. Herbal extracts such as capsaicin have found to improve the growth performance of broiler chicken. Chilli (Capsicum annum) is a good source of natural capsaicin. Objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary chilli powder (CHPW) on growth performance and serum cholesterol levels of broiler chicken. One hundred broiler chicks in 20 cages received one of the four experimental diets containing either 0 (control), 1, 3 or 5% of CHPW from day 30-49. Serum cholesterol contents were determined on day 47. Mortality rates, feed and water intake were not affected by the dietary CHPW. The birds fed 5% CHPW gave higher (p<0.05) live weight on day 49 and weight gain from day 30-49, compared to control group. Though not significant, feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the bids fed 5% CHPW (2.14) was 6% better than that of the control birds (2.28). Visceral organ weights, abdominal fat pad percentage and the litter parameters were also not affected by the dietary CHPW. Serum cholesterol levels of the birds fed 1% CHPW were significantly lower than those of the birds fed either 0 or 5% dietary CHPW. Results of this experiment conclude that 5% dietary CHPW had growth promotant effect while 1% CHPW had hypocholesterolaemic effect in broiler chicken.