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Workshop paper 12
Jens Hoffmann presents Workshop paper 12
In workshop 5: The effect of feed measurements to overcome current and future problems on farm level with
implementation of animal welfare legislation
Friday, 12 September 2008 from 14h00-15h45 in the Het Pand chaired by Arno van der Aa
PREVENTION OF FOOTPAD LESIONS IN BROILER CHICKENS USING
CLINOPTILOLITES AS FEED ADDITIVE
J. Hoffmann 1 , E. Hangoor 2 , A. van der Aa 3 , S. Borgijink 3
1 Agroproduct Qualitätssicherungs GmbH, Bestensee, Germany
2 Provimi BV, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
3 Orffa Additives BV, Werkendam, The Netherlands
Footpad lesions are closely linked to litter quality. Litter quality can be improved using clay
minerals (clinoptilolites) as feed additive. Clinoptilolites can bind water and ammonia, leading to
dryer litter and reduced footpadburns caused by ammonia.
Two field trials were performed in Germany in two identical stables containing 26, 500 birds each.
In 2003 on top addition of clinoptilolites improved litter quality numerically with 0.5 (scale 1-6). In
2005 litter quality improved numerically by 0.67 (scale 1-6) at 1% clinoptilolite inclusion. Footpad
lesions were scored in 994 birds, scores tended to be positively influenced by clinoptilolites.
In 2007 a trial was performed at Provimi Research Facilities, The Netherlands. Clinoptilolites were
added on top at 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% in starter, grower and finisher diet respectively compared to a
negative control diet. Both treatments contained 120 male birds divided over 6 replicates. Birds fed
clinoptilolite tended to grew faster (+54 grams) in 35 days, although not significant (p> 0.05).
Corrected Feed Conversion was similar in both treatments. Litter scores were measured weekly on a
scale from 1 (dry) to 5 (wet). From day 21 onwards, litter scores improved numerically for birds fed
clinoptilolite. Footpad lesions were scored from 1 (no lesions) to 4 (severe lesions) per bird at days
28 and 35. Adding clinoptilolite to broiler diets numerically improved average footpad lesions, from
1.7 to 1.5 at day 28 and from 1.3 to 1.1 at day 35 for respectively control and clinoptilolite diets,
even while four out of six replicates of the control group required extra wood shavings compared to
only two clinoptilolite replicates.
Clinoptilolite inclusion improves litter and footpad quality with at least comparable technical
results, even with “on top off” addition, which results in dilution of nutritional composition.
Clinoptilolites may therefore be a cost effective way to improve broiler welfare.
Contact information: Jens Hoffmann or email info@agroproduct.de
Complete address: Agroproduct Qualitätssicherungs GmbH, Bestensee, Germany
Species: Broiler