Feed costs account for 60% to 70% of total production costs for producing broiler chickens, while nearly 30% of total mushroom weight comprises stump waste from button mushroom production. Pennsylvania, a national leader in both broiler chicken and button mushroom production, could benefit from marrying the two to reduce costs and waste. To investigate compatibility, a team of researchers at Penn State conducted a study on how supplementing broiler feed with mushroom stump waste affected chicken growth and health.
The study, which will be published in the June issue of The Journal of Applied Poultry Research, found that broiler chickens fed up to 3% mushroom stump waste grew at the same rate as those without fungi supplementation, with no impact on digestion. However, supplementation at 4% and 5% slowed growth and interfered with amino acid digestion. Research team leader John Boney, a Poultry Nutrition Fellow, highlighted the potential nutritional benefits of mushroom stump waste for broilers, as using unconventional ingredients in poultry diets has become common practice.
The study included 480 broiler chickens that were fed six dietary treatments, with varying percentages of mushroom stump waste. The researchers tested the birds’ ability to digest amino acids and closely monitored their growth and health. Mushroom stumps were obtained from a commercial farm, dried, and ground into particles suitable for inclusion in poultry feed. Pennsylvania accounts for 64% of button mushrooms produced in the U.S., with stump waste comprising nearly 29% of total mushroom weight and being composted as an agricultural by-product.
The therapeutic bioactive compounds in mushroom stump waste, which have antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, make it a potentially valuable feedstuff with nutritive and medicinal properties. In Pennsylvania, where poultry production ranks fourth in the U.S., the use of mushroom stump waste as a feedstuff could help reduce waste and benefit both industries. The research was funded by the American Mushroom Institute in Avondale, Pennsylvania, and contributed to by doctoral graduates in animal science from Penn State.
Overall, the study found that incorporating up to 3% mushroom stump waste into broiler feed did not affect chicken growth or digestion, indicating potential cost-saving and waste-reducing benefits for the poultry industry. However, higher supplementation levels of 4% and 5% were found to slow growth and interfere with amino acid digestion in broilers. The use of novel nutritional sources, such as mushroom stump waste, could be a sustainable solution to reduce waste and improve feed efficiency in broiler chicken production, particularly in states like Pennsylvania, where both broiler chicken and button mushroom production are significant.
