The effect of antimicrobial (A) replacement with dehydrated egg (DE) and of type of litter (new and recycled) used in the floor covering on pullet performance was evaluated in 1,440 1-d chicks, 720 of each strain (White and Brown), allotted to 72 boxes (1 x 1.5 m). Recycled litter consisted of sugar cane bagasse containing droppings of broilers chicks with symptoms of coccidiose. The pullets were weighed and assigned to a complete randomized design with a 3 x 2 x 2 (three diets x two litter x two strains) factorial arrangement, in a total of 12 treatments with six replications of 20 pullets. The experimental diets (D) were: D1 = diet with commercial dose of antimicrobial; D2 = diet without antimicrobial; and D3 = diet without antimicrobial + 0.6% of DE. DE was composed by dehydrated yolk+albumen (55°C for 72 hours) and showed negative result to Samonella spp. test. The use of recycled litter decreased pullet performance of two genetic groups, specially the Brown ones, that showed lower weights of spleen and bursa of Fabricius. This fact suggests better enlargement of lymphoid tissues, and that probably explains the smaller tolerance of White pullets to recycled litter. The antimicrobials minimize negative effect of recycled litter on pullet performance. Dehydrated egg is a good alternative to antimicrobials and can improve performance of pullets in the pre-starter on conventional environment.
antimicrobial drugs; environmental stress; performance
