author(s)
KP Kalita, K Merina Devi, Sanghamitra Kalita and S Shekhar

abstract
An investigation comprising of three experiments were conducted to study the effect of different litter types on growth performance and organoleptic properties of broilers. Each experiment of 6 weeks duration was conducted with 270 numbers of chicks divided equally into three litter type made of paddy husk in three replicates, each of 30 birds. The litter types were fresh (control), used (once-used (UL-1), twice-used (UL-II) and thrice –used (UL-III) and mixed (50 parts of fresh litter mixed with 50 parts of once-used litter (ML-1), twice-used litter (ML-II) and thrice-used litter (ML-III). Fresh litter (control), used litter (once -, twice- and thrice- used) and mixed litter (50 parts of fresh litter and 50 parts of once-, twice- and thrice-used) were used. Average body weight, feed conversion ratio, survivability rate and dressing percentage of broilers reared on the three different types of litters were recorded. There were no significant (P<0.05) difference in tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall acceptability of broilers raised in Experiments I and II. In Experiment III, the broiler raised on used and mixed litter groups were found to be significantly (P<0.05 to 0.01) better in tenderness and juiciness qualities than those raised on fresh litter. The results suggest a possible relationship between the types of the litter used for reared of broiler with organoleptic properties of meat.