%0 Journal Article %T Effect of sodium bentonite litter supplement and stocking density on growth performance of broiler and litter quality in summer %J Iranian Journal of animal Science %I پردیس کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی دانشگاه تهران %Z 2008-4773 %A Mohiti-Asli, Maziar %A Ghanaatparast-Rashti, Moein %A Tavakoli-Alamooti, Meysam %D 2016 %\ 11/21/2016 %V 47 %N 3 %P 441-451 %! Effect of sodium bentonite litter supplement and stocking density on growth performance of broiler and litter quality in summer %K broiler %K litter quality %K performance %K Sodium Bentonite %K Stocking Density %R 10.22059/ijas.2016.59799 %X This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of sodium bentonite litter supplement and stoking density on performance and litter quality using a total of 252 broiler chicks in completely randomized design with 6 treatments which were arranged factorially (3×2) and 4 replicates. Experimental factors included: stocking density (14; low and 18; high /birds per m2) and three levels of sodium bentonite litter supplement (0, 2 and 4 kg/m2). Higher stocking density led to lower performance, higher moisture, pH, count of E.coli and oocysts in litter, intestinal lesions score, footpad and hock lesion scores and breast blister (P<0.01).  Litter moisture and footpad and hock scores were reduced by application of 2 kg/m2 litter supplement (P<0.01). Supplementation of 4 kg/m2 sodium bentonite decreased count of E. coli and nitrogen in litter and improved body weight gain of broilers than control (P<0.01). Interactions between stocking density and litter supplement for footpad and hock scores (35 day of age) were significant (P<0.05) as lesions were negligible in lower stocking density without any effect by litter supplement, although the lesions induced by higher density were reduced using 4 kg/m2 litter supplement. Results indicated that application of sodium bentonite as litter supplement had beneficial effects on broilers performance and litter quality. %U https://ijas.ut.ac.ir/article_59799_75a5f4e442636ac6d04482943a71921f.pdf