Effect of litter type on digestive tract and accessory organ in the native chicken

Abstract

This research was aimed to study the size of digestive tracts and digestive organs, as
well as accessory organs in the digestive system of native chickens under different litter
materials. One day old Kampung Unggul Balitnak (KUB) chicken as many as 108 unsexed
birds were randomly placed into three treatment groups of different litter materials, namely rice
hulls, wood shavings, and corn cobs mills. Data collected included the final body weight
(g/bird), relative weight (%) and length of the digestive tract (cm), digestive organs, and
accessories organ of the digestive system. Relative weight (%) measurements include the
digestive tract, esophagus, crop, proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine, duodenum, jejunum,
ileum, caeca, large intestine, and accessory organs. The accessory organ consists of the liver,
gallbladder, and pancreas. Length measurements include the small intestine, duodenum,
jejunum, ileum, caeca, and large intestine. Furthermore, the relative weight (%) is calculated
for each segment of the digestive tract and accessory organs. Data were analyzed using
variance analysis, followed by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test using the SPSS version 16.0
application. The results showed that the different litter material had no effect on the relative
weight (%) of the digestive tract, digestive organs, and accessory organs, except the
proventriculus and caeca (P <0.05). The litter material has no effect on the entire length of the
digestive tract, small intestine, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caeca, and large intestine. The
highest relative proventriculus weight is found in chickens given wood shavings litter and the
lowest on corn cobs. The highest relative caeca weight is found in chickens given wood
shavings litter. There is no difference in the weight of caeca between chickens given rice hulls
and corn cobs litter.