Folks, The feeding of chicken litter does sound nasty but look closer at what you are feeding. Chicken litter is typically high in crude protein. This crude protein is mostly coming from Non-protein nitrogen(uric acid) very similiar to most commercial protein supplements which also contain non-protein nitrogen sources such as(urea/biuret). Now moving on to the bacteria found in the litter-About 60-85% of the protein that grazing ruminants absorb in the small intestine comes from the digestion of bacteria which came from the rumen, majority of which are the same bacterial species found in litter. Likewise if you feed haylage or silage, bacteria are what stabilize those products and keeep them from spoiling. Litter does contain usually high amounts of lowly digestible fiber, but so doesn't poor quality hay that a lot of animals are fed each year. I do believe that if the nutrient composition of the litter to be fed is known, espicially protein, vitamin & mineral levels one can make rational decisions as to use or not to use based on nutrient need and supply as opposed to the face value of it sounding unappealing. Their are several studies that have offered litter as a supplement to good quality pastures and cows readily consumed the litter without it being forced on them.
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