FEEDING OF DEHYDRATED POULTRY MANURE TO STEERS ON PERFORMANCE, BLOOD AND URINE PARAMETERS AND LIVER DRUG-METABOLIZING ENZYME ACTIVITIES

The effects of feeding dehydrated poultry manure (DPM) to steers during a 180-day finishing period on performance, blood and urine parameters and liver drug-metabolizing enzyme activities were evaluated and compared to control steers fed a conventional diet. No significant treatment differences were observed for average daily gain, daily dry matter intake and feed efficiency; however, steers fed the DPM diet had a slightly higher dry matter intake and a lower feed efficiency. Aside from an initial refusal of the DPM diet and a moderate diarrhoea during the last month of the study there were no clinical signs of toxicity. Blood and urine parameters examined showed no abnormal differences, fluctuations or trends between steers fed either the DPM or control diet. There was no evidence of pathological changes attributable to DPM feeding in gross or histological examinations. Liver microsomal cytochrome-P-450-dependent drug-metabolizing enzyme activities were not influenced by the feeding of DPM. With the exception of rib eye area, which was significantly smaller (P < 0.01) for steers fed the DPM diet, carcass traits were not affected. Key words: Poultry manure, steers, performance, metabolic parameters