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AgriFutures chicken meat program litter management webinar
GOOD litter manage- ment is important to optimise performance and the welfare of the flock, to reduce risks to meat chicken and human health, to comply with biosecurity requirements and third-party accredi- tation schemes, and to reduce the potential for environmental impacts.
• Breast blisters
tapeworm and roundworm be 30-32C, while the Alternative methods move through the house, from the house and keep
Subject of AgriFutures recent webinar, litter is one of the most significant management practices in- fluencing the performance of meat chicken farms.
affect chicken health.
Dry litter results in increased dust genera- tion, which impacts meat chicken respiratory health, human health and the en-
The presence of patho- genic microorganisms such as mould, fungi and bacteria also pose a risk to the health of workers.
It is important that the minimum ventilation system is started prior to chick placement, particu- larly if litter reuse is prac- tised.
Conversely, the Poultry 411 app can assist with a starting point as to how much fresh air is needed to control house air qual- ity and litter moisture.
“Ventilate too little you will have poor air quality and wet litter, which can lead to poor performance and health.
Litter quality can affect meat chicken performance and welfare and is also a major component of the environment within pro- duction sheds.
major factor impacting chicken health, managing moisture in sheds is cru- cial for farm operators.
It is recommended heat- ing and ventilating sheds 24-48 hours prior to chick placement.
University of Georgia poultry housing engi- neer at the Department of Poultry Science Mike Czarick said, “In summer- time, ventilation is fairly straightforward.”
The app, available through Apple’s App Store, allows farmers to enter variables such as the outside temperature, the amount of water the chick- ens consume, the tempera- ture inside the house and the size of the poultry house’s fans.
“The app gives peo- ple a starting point as to how much fresh air they need to bring in to control house air quality and lit- ter moisture,” Mr Czarick said.
Litter moisture contrib- utes to chicken health and poor litter quality due to excess moisture can result in:
As an example, prolifer- ation of pathogens in litter increases in environments with high temperature, hu- midity and pH.
Heating the floor and bedding in the brooding area before placement of the litter is as important as heating the air to the correct temperature for the health and comfort of young chicks.
This will help to achieve the correct conditions at placement.
“A producer knows that if they have older birds and it is hot, they are go- ing to operate all of their tunnel fans.
“It’s not intended to pro- vide a precise minimum ventilation rate.
• Increased ammonia production leading to res- piratory conditions and increased infection, eye conditions and blindness, human health and environ- mental concerns
Litter viral, bacterial pathogens and diseases of concern include:
Destratification fans, circulation fans or radi- ant tube heaters will assist heating the floor and litter to the optimum tempera- ture.
“There really is no ques- tion about it.
It then calculates how long farmers need to run their fans in order to re- move excess moisture
“It’s going to take adjust- ing, but this at least gives a scientifically based place to start.”
• Skin burns, including hock and footpad
• Campylobacter jejuni
• Clostridium botulinum • Salmonella spp
• Cryptosporidium spp
• Listeria spp.
Litter conditions can also
Ross Broiler Management Handbook recommends a temperature range in the litter of 28-30C.
include oven drying and moisture probes.
the better off their birds will be.
the chickens at a comfort- able temperature.
• Scabby areas
• Bruising
• Condemnations
The temperature of the floor also needs to be within about 3-4C of this to avoid condensation within the litter.
Moisture probes can, however, be inaccurate due to the inconsistent particle size of bedding materials compared with grain products, where moisture probes are com- monly used.
“In winter, there is so much more at stake.
The programming in the background of the app that handles the calculations is based on years of research into poultry housing and on a series of spreadsheets that Czarick and fellow UGA Cooperative Exten- sion poultry faculty mem- bers Brian Fairchild and John Worley have devel- oped to help farmers with these calculations.
downgrades.
Overly dry litter can also
impact the health of farm workers via the effects of ammonia and dust.
vironment.
As litter moisture is a
Impacts to human health are typically less of a concern than impacts to meat chickens due to the reduced contact time of workers and lower sus- ceptibility to pathogens at concentrations present in sheds.
This will remove any ex- cess moisture gases from sheds.
“You really have to be much more thoughtful about how much you oper- ate your fans.”
Other factors may also affect chicken health.
• Avian influenza
“The more air they can
and
“Ventilate too much and you will have excessive energy costs and stressed birds.
• Proliferation of patho- gens
• Gangrenous dermatitis • Gumboro
• Reovirus
• Bronchitis
If the temperature of the floor is below the dew point, condensation will form in the litter.
If the litter moisture con- tent is too high at chick placement, it can be diffi- cult to rectify once chicks are placed.
• Increased odour pro- duction
• Pathogenic fungi – my- cosis and mycotoxins
This will leave the lit- ter compromised from day one of the growth cycle, and increase the risk of compaction, which then leads to the formation of cake and slower drying rates.
• Infectious laryngotra- cheitis
This will also avoid con- densation in the litter.
At chick placement, the bedding moisture content should be below 15 per- cent wet basis.
• Parasites – coccidia,
A hand squeeze test is the simplest method to as- sess the moisture content.
Litter management is one of the most significant prac- tices influencing the performance of meat chicken farms.
Becoming experienced at making this assessment takes practise.
The Poultry 411 app vent rate calculations based on temperature and humidity.
The temperature of the bedding at chick place- ment should be around 30C, ±2C depending on processor requirements and strain of meat chicken.
When the litter is dry, it should not form into a stable ball when squeezed and should not feel moist to touch.
The Cobb Broiler Man- agement Guide specifies litter temperatures should
Conversely, the litter should not be overly dry and dusty.
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National Poultry Newspaper, June 2021 – Page 7