Evaluation of rice hull ash as broiler litter

Three trials were conducted to examine the efficacy of rice hull ash as a litter material for broiler chickens. Each 42-d trial used the following litter materials: pine shavings, rice hull ash, and rice hull ash blended with pine shavings. In trial 1, pine shavings (PS), rice hull ash (RHA), and a 50150 blend of PS and RHA were used as the 3 litter treatments. In trials 2 and 3, PS, RRA, PS/RHA (50150), PS/RHA (70/30), and PS/RHA (70/30 layered) were used as the 5 litter treatments. Body weight, feed conversion, and NH3 production, N, phosphate, and potash in litter were determined at the end of each trial. Body weight and feed conversion were not consistently altered by any of the litter treatments among the 3 trials. Likewise, NH3, N, phosphate, and potash in litter were not consistently altered by any of the litter treatments among the 3 trials. RHA alone or in combination with PS can be used as litter material for broiler chickens with no adverse effects on broiler performance, litter NH3 production, or litter fertilizer value.