20. The Effect of Feeding Ensilages of Poultry Litter with Leftover Bread on the Body Weight of Barka Cattle

Litters from replacement birds, layers and broilers were collected; sun-dried and analyzed for the content of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ash and fat. The litters were ensiled with leftover bread in a ratio of 45.5: 54.5 by weight in plastic containers for a minimum of 21 days. The process of ensiling resulted in a product that had a higher CP content after ensiling. The ensilages were of wholesome appearance, palatable and safe. Sixteen Barka cattle were divided into groups of four cattle in each treatment and a 90 days trial was conducted. The treatments consisted of a control diet (T₁) consisting of a commercial type ration made up of 30% wheat bran, 36.3% leftover bread, 2.4% fishmeal, 30.3% taff straw and 1% salt. The other three treatments consisted of ensilages of 30% replacement litter (T₂); layer litter (T₃) or broiler litter (T₄) with leftover bread 36.3%, fishmeal 2.4%, taff straw 30.3% and salt 1%. The feeding system was restricted and all the groups consumed all the feed that was offered to them (7.44 kg of DM per cattle per day). Average body weight gains (ABG) for T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄ were 1.093, 1.019, 0.673 and 0.966 kg/day, respectively. ABG for T₁, T₂ and T₄ were not significantly different (p > 0.05), whereas cattle fed on T₃ were significantly different (p < 0.05) from ABG of T₁, T₂ and T₄. Wheat bran can be completely replaced by replacement and broiler litters in rations for Barka cattle.