EFFECT OF POULTRY LITTER TREATMENT(R) (PLT(R)) ON DEATH DUE TO ASCITES IN BROILERS

The purposes of this study were to determine the effect of Poultry Lit ter Treatment(R) (PLT(R)) on levels of litter moisture, litter nitroge n, atmospheric ammonia, and death due to ascites. Data were collected from chicks raised in containment conditions that resembled commercial settings. The ascites death rate (5.9%) in broiler chicks on PLT-trea ted litter was significantly (chi(2) = 15.5, df = 1, P = 0.001) lower than that (31.5%) in broiler chicks raised on untreated litter. Likewi se, atmospheric ammonia levels in pens that had been treated with PLT were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in pens that received n o treatment. Under the conditions of the present study, litter moistur e and litter nitrogen levels were not different (P > 0.05) among treat ments at any sample interval.