Page 12 - National Poultry Newspaper

Litter amendments can be an option to reduce ammonia levels in sheds with reused litter. However, managing ventilation and minimising litter moisture are the leading ways to reduce the ammonia levels in meat chicken sheds.
For farms that reuse litter or are considering reus- ing litter, this explains the benefits and challenges of using litter amendments, how different types of amendments work and other strategies to control ammonia.
There are different types of litter amendments, which work in different ways to reduce ammonia.
Several naturally occur- ring products, such as clay and peat might be effective at adsorbing ammonia, but research has shown mixed results.
A common practice in Australia is brooding on fresh bedding material, which reduces ammonia- related issues during this time.
Potential litter amendments
LITTER amendments are commonly used overseas to control the ammonia concentration in meat chicken sheds, particularly when reusing litter.
tent and fertiliser value of spent litter. Litteramendmentchal- lenges
sodium bisulfate, ammoni- um sulfate (alum) and fer- ricsulfate(ironIIIsulfate).
careful planning when timing product application sothatammoniaislowby the time chicks are placed.
Litter amendments can also provide antimicrobial and environmental bene- fits and increase the nutri- ent value of spent litter.
• Chemical exposure when not applied appro- priately – wrong timing or uneven application
These products take a different amount of time to activate in the litter and it is best to apply them before chicks are placed.
While adsorbents, in- hibitors and biological products have shown some reduction of ammonia in trials, more research is needed to assess their ef- fectiveness under Austral- ian conditions.
While litter reuse is not currently widely practiced in Australia, the increas- ing cost of litter is mak- ing litter reuse and litter amendment products more attractive.
• Litter reuse combined with litter amendments re- quires additional prepara- tion of bedding compared with full litter clean-outs and using new bedding. Litter types
Always check the manu- facturers recommenda- tions prior to use. Adsorbents, inhibitors and biological products
Other strategies to con- trol ammonia
These products take a different amount of time to activate in the litter and it is best to apply them before chicks are placed.
• Lower counts of dis- ease, virus and food safe- ty-related pathogens
The most common acidi- fiers used in poultry farms are dry acids and include
If you’re considering this type of product, any po- tential short-term release of ammonia will require
Always check the prod- uct label and manufactur- ers recommendations and consult with your integra- tor company or veterinar- ian before using new prod- ucts in poultry sheds. Litter amendment ben- efits
• Acidifiers
• Adsorbents
• Inhibitors
• Biological products.
This involves monitoring and managing litter, venti- lation, heating, evaporative cooling, drinking systems, and other production and environmental factors dur- ing the grow-out period.
• Lower ammonia emis- sions with fewer associ- ated risks
These products work by making the litter more acidic (pH below seven), which reduces the amount of ammonia gas produced.
Some have been found to be marginally effective, and expensive.
This extension project is funded through the Ag- riFutures Chicken Meat Program.
• Lower operating costs when combined with litter reuse, compared to new bedding
Reducing the amount of nitrogen converted to ammonia, results in more nitrogen retained in the litter as ammonium salts, potentially increasing the fertiliser value of the spent litter.
Biological products are promoted as ‘seeding’ the litter with beneficial mi- crobes.
This project supports the adoption of innovation and research and development outcomes for the Austral- ian chicken meat industry.
• Lower costs associated with heating during brood- ing when combined with litter reuse
These microbes convert nitrogen into a more stable form but may still release some ammonia soon after application.
For more information, contact either Mark Dun- lop at mark.dunlop@daf. qld.gov.au or visit agrifu- tures.com.au
• Higher nitrogen con-
• Requirement for longer downtime between grow- outs when combined with reused litter
Reapplication may be re- quired depending on the product.
They all interfere with the normal process of how ammonia forms in litter.
Managing litter moisture levels and utilising ventila- tion to remove moisture and ammonia from the shed is a very effective method to keep ammonia levels low.
The types of amend- ments are:
Using adsorbents can al- so be expensive due to the large amount of material required.
Acidifying agents
Inhibitors could also help reduce ammonia forma- tion by restricting micro- bial activity.
Acidifying agents are the main type of products used.
Adsorbent litter amend- ments work by binding the ammonia to the surface of the litter, which reduces the amount of ammonia released into the air.
Litter amendment prod- ucts are not the only way to manage ammonia in meat chicken sheds.
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Page 12 – National Poultry Newspaper, September 2021
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