The object of this experiment was to evaluate the citrus pulp-pelleted (CPP) as a broiler litter and their chemical composition. The experiment used 1792 one day-old males, and it was divided into two phases: 1 to 21 and 35 to 49 days of age. The experimental design was a factorial 2x2x2 with four replicates. The factors were: type of broiler litter (CPP and wood shaving), broiler litter depth (7 and 10 cm) and stocking densities (10 and 14 broilers/m²). The parameters analyzed were: weight gain (WG), feed consumption(FC), feed conversion, incidence of breast blister and foot pad lesion, survivability, dry matter and pH of the broiler litter (21 and 49 days old). To evaluate the possible alteration in the litter chemical composition Weende and van Soest analyses was performed and gross energy was also determined. Independently of depth of litter, the broilers reared on CPP and in the density of 14 broiler/m² showed worse results to WG and FC of 35 to 49 days of age. The results of WG and FC were more affected by the density than the types of broiler litter. There was no significant difference among the treatments for footpad lesion and for lesions of breast blister. The dry matter was higher in CPP than wood shaving. The pH of the broiler litter of CPP was smaller than wood shaving. The chemical analysis showed significant differences due to treatment (p<0.05) for all variables except to mineral matter (MM), with no significant differences between the means. Best values of CP, NDF, ADF were obtained with the CPP used as material for broiler litter.
broiler; chemical analysis; citric pulp; density; depth, litter
