Criteria and Evaluation of Hardwood Bark as a Poultry Litter

Hardwood bark was field tested as a potential poultry litter product because of the shortage, of sawdust and shavings being presently used, the large supply of hardwood bark available over a wide geographic area, the ease of processing it into an acceptable litter particle, and its absorption characteristics. Both hammermilled and raw bark from rosser debarkers were used in the trials. Coarser-textured barks such as black cherry, hard maple, and beech are acceptable as litter material without hammermilling except when the bark is removed during the sap season. Fresh bark should be hammermilled through a 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch screen to obtain a particle size from 1/16 to 1 inch in length. Stringy bark such as elm, basswood, and yellow poplar, and bark residue containing a high percentage of wood splinters are not acceptable as a litter material. The moisture content (oven-dry basis) of the bark litter being used ranged from a high of 92 percent in black cherry to a low of 52 percent in hard maple. The best moisture content of the bark litter material being used successfully was from 50 to 55 percent. Bark is economical to use as a poultry litter if it can be delivered in bulk loads of 15 to 25 tons for a total price of $10 to $40 per ton, including transportation. Roasters, pullet replacements, capons and broilers were raised successfully on hardwood bark litter. Final results, based on the poultry producer’s records and poultry diagnostic laboratory tests, show the performance of the birds–average weight of finished bird, percent of mortality, percent of condemnations, and USDA grades–to be acceptable in comparison with records of raised on conventional litter. Condemnations in broilers and roasters were lower on bark litter than on reused shavings for litter.

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