• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.713-717
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary Hermetia illucens powder on duck litter quality. One hundred twenty Pekin ducks (0 day old) were assigned to 2 groups (0% and 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder) with 3 replicates (20 ducks per replicate) for 42 days. Duck litter quality included moisture, pH, VBN, total nitrogen, ammonia, and temperature. Litter pH and VBN values were significantly affected by Hermetia illucens powder (p<0.05). However, moisture and total nitrogen values were not greatly influenced by the addition of 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder (p>0.05). At 21, 28 and 35 days, both 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder and controls had a great effect (p<0.05) on ammonia contents, except at 7, 14 and 42 days. In comparison to control, ammonia contents in groups with 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder were reduced from 16.9 to 41.8% as the days increased. Duck litter showed lower temperature by 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder compare to control. In terms of environmental managements, these results suggest that using 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder as feed additives improved litter quality and decreased ammonia contents.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.119-122
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• 2020

The effects of liquid potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) on the litter quality of poultry were investigated. Two-hundred-forty 0-day-old broiler chickens (Arbor Acres) were randomly assigned to two treatments with four replicated pens of 30 chickens each. Treatment liquid KMnO₄ at a rate of 50 g of liquid KMnO₄/kg of poultry litter was sprayed onto the litter surface using a small hand pump; others served as a control that was applied without liquid KMnO₄ additions. Compared with controls, the treatment liquid KMnO₄ showed no differences in pH, total nitrogen and ammonia concentration. It was concluded that liquid KMnO₄ did not significantly increase poultry litter quality. Mechanisms relating to increasing litter pH and ammonia using liquid KMnO₄ are an oxidant agent (not acid-foaming agents).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.933-936
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• 2018

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a mixture of bentonite and illite as feed additives on the growth performance and litter quality of 90 Pekin ducks. The ducks were individually weighed and randomly divided into two treatments (control and 1% combination of silicate minerals), with three replicate pens per treatment, and 15 ducks per pen. Growth performance was not significantly affected (p>0.05) by the combination of bentonite and illite, but a trend of increased growth performance was observed in the control groups. Total nitrogen content and pH in the litter decreased following supplementation with the combination of bentonite and illite (p<0.05) when compared with the control group. This data indicates that the dietary supplementation with the combination of bentonite and illite (1% level) has no positive effect on the growth performance and litter quality of Pekin ducks.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.73-86
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• 2006

Concentrated poultry production in the State of Alabama, U.S.A. results in excessive poultry litter. Application of poultry litter to pastures and row crops serves as a cheap alternative to commercial fertilizer. However, over the years, poultry litter application to perennial forage crops in the Appalachian Plateau region of North Alabama has resulted in phosphorus (P) buildup in soils. Phosphorus index (P-index) and comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMP) are often used as a best management practice (BMP) for proper land application of litter. Because nutrient management planning is often not done for small animal feeding operations (AFOs), and also because, in case of excess litter, litter transportation infrastructure has not been developed, over application of poultry litter to near by area is a common practice. To alleviate this problem, optimal poultry litter management and transportation infrastructure needs to be developed. This paper presents a methodology to optimize poultry litter application and transportation through efficient nutrient management planning and transportation network analysis. The goal was accomplished through implementation of three important modules, a P-Index module, a CNMP module, and a transportation network analysis module within ArcGIS, a Geographic Information System (GIS). The CNMP and P-Index modules assist with land application of poultry litter at a rate that is protective of water quality, while the transportation network analysis module helps transport excess litter to areas requiring litter in the Appalachian Plateau and Black Belt (a nutrient-deficient area) regions. Once fully developed and implemented, such a system will help alleviate water quality problems in the Appalachian Plateau region and poor soil fertility problems in the Black Belt region by optimizing land application and transportation. The utility of the methodology is illustrated through a hypothetical case study.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2023

A total of 192 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers (initial body weight: 31.30±0.41 g) were used in this experiment for 28 days. Treatments were as follows: basal rice husk (CON), rice husk + 1% illite (T1), rice husk + 1% zeolite (T2), and rice husk + 0.5% illite + 0.5% zeolite (T3). The percentage of illite and zeolite was calculated on a weight of litter. Each treatment had four replicates, with 12 birds per pen. Each pen was provided with 5 kg of rice husk as litter. Litter moisture content was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the T1, T2, and T3 groups compared to CON group at week 4. In litter nitrogen, the T1 group showed significantly lower (P<0.05) litter nitrogen content than the other groups at weeks 1, 2, and 3. Also, the T3 group showed a significantly lower (P<0.05) litter nitrogen content than the CON and T2 groups at weeks 2 and 3. The counts of E. coli in the litter were significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the T1 group compared to the CON group at weeks 2 and 3. Moreover, the counts of Salmonella in the litter were significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the T1 group compared to the CON group at week 4. The FPD score significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the T1 group compared to the CON group. In conclusion, spraying illite could be an ideal way to improve litter quality and decrease FPD in broilers.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.415-421
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• 2004

Litter wastes on highway runoff are gradually being considered one of the major pollutants of concern in protecting the integrity of receiving waters for beneficial use. The California State Water Resources Control Board has identified in their 303(d) list at least 36 water bodies where trash or litter is considered a pollutant of concern. The first TMDL adopted by the Region 4 (Los Angeles area) of the California State Water Quality Control Board was for trash in the Los Angeles River. The first flush characteristic study was developed to obtain first flush water quality and litter data from representative stormwater runoff from standard highway drainage outfalls in the Los Angeles area. Total captured gross pollutants in stormwater runoff were monitored at six Southern California highway sites over two years. The gross pollutants were 90% vegetation and 10% litter. Approximately 50% of the litter was composed of biodegradable materials. The event mean concentrations show an increasing trend with antecedent dry days and a decreasing trend with total runoff volume or total rainfall. Event mean concentrations were ranged 0.0021 to 0.259g/L for wet gross pollutants and 0.0001 to 0.027g/L for wet litters. The first flush phenomenon was evaluated and the impacts of various parameters such as rainfall intensity, drainage area, peak flow rate, and antecedent dry period on litter volume and loading rates were evaluated. First flush phenomenon was generally observed for litter concentrations, but was not apparent with litter mass loading rates. Litter volume and loading rates appear to be directly related to peak storm intensity, antecedent dry days and total flow volume.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2003

Litterfall and litter decomposition represent a major contribution to the carbon and nutrient inputs in a forest ecosystem. We measured litterfall quantity and nutrient dynamics in decomposing litter for two years at the Kwangneung broadleaf natural forest (DK site) in Korea. Litterfall was collected in circular littertraps (collecting area : 0.25 $m^2$) and mass loss rates and nutrient release patterns in decomposing litter were estimated using the litterbag technique employing 30 cm ${\times}$ 30 cm nylon bags with 1.5 mm mesh size. Total annual litterfall was 5,627 kg/ha/yr and leaf litter accounted for 61 % of the litterfall. The leaf litter quantity was highest in Quercus serrata, fallowed by Carpinus laxiflora and C. cordata, etc., which are dominant tree species in the site. Mass loss from decomposing leaf litter was more rapid in C. laxiflora and C. cordata than in Q. serrata litter. About 77% of C. laxiflora and 84% of C. cordata litter disappeared, while about 48% in Q. serrata litter lost over two years. Lower mass loss rates of Q. serrata litter may be attributed to the difference of substrate quality such as lower nutrient concentrations compared with the other litter types. Nutrient concentrations (N, P, Mg) of three litter types except for potassium (K) increased compared with initial nutrient concentrations of litter over the study period. Compared with Q. serrata litter, nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) in C. laxiflora and C. cordata litter were released rapidly. The results suggest that litter mass loss and nutrient dynamic processes among tree species vary considerably in the same site conditions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1642-1650
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of clinoptilolite (a natural zeolite) on growth and performance of broilers as well as on the quality of their litter. A total of 5,200 one-day old broiler chickens (Cobb 500) were used in two consecutive rounds lasting 42 days each. The broilers were given free and continuous access to a nutritionally non-limiting diet (in meal form) that was either a basal diet (B) or a 'zeolite diet' (Z; the basal diet supplemented with clinoptilolite at a level of 2%). A $2{\times}2$ factorial design consisted of two feeding treatments (B and Z) and two bedding types, sawdust (S) and sawdust with zeolite (Sz, which was the result of adding $2kg\;zeolite/m^2$), was used. In each round the broilers were randomly assigned to one of four (n = 650), treatment groups: two fed on the basal diet (B) and had bedding of either sawdust (group BS) or sawdust and zeolite (group BSz) and two fed on the Z diet and had as bedding either sawdust (ZS) or sawdust and zeolite (ZSz). Average growth rates were significantly (p<0.05) different between broilers of different groups; broilers that were fed on the 'zeolite diet' (Z) and were placed either in a compartment with sawdust bedding or sawdust bedding and zeolite (ZS and ZSz) as well those that were fed on the basal diet in a compartment with sawdust bedding and zeolite (BSz) grew at a faster rate (p<0.05) compared with those of the control group (BS). The incorporation of NZ in broilers diets and in their bedding material decreased the organic content in litter samples throughout the experimental period. The lowest organic content was recorded in group ZSz where NZ was added in both feed and litter. Mean ammonia concentration (ppm) was significantly higher in group ZS in comparison to groups BSz and ZSz (27.00 vs. 20.55 and 21.71 respectively). The results of this study showed that the incorporation of the clinoptilolite both in feed and into the litter had a positive effect on broiler growth and also on the quality of their litter.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.42
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• pp.38-49
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• 2000

Two application rates (9 and 18 t/ha) of poultry litter and a recommended rate of commercial fertilizer were studied to determine their effects on nutrient (N and P) losses in surface and subsurface runoff and loadings in soil layers from conventionally-tilled com by the treatments. The model predicted higher sediment losses than observed data from all treatments. The overpredicted sediment losses resulted in overprediction of organic-N and sediment-P losses in surface runoff. Simulated soluble-P losses in surface runoff were close to observed data, while NO3-N losses in surface runoff were underpredicted from all treatments. Observed NO3-N concentrations in leachate at 1.0-m depth from commercial fertilizer treatment were fairly well predicted. But the concentratins were overpredicted from poultry litter treatments due to high simulation of organic-N mineralization simulated by the model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.120-129
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• 2008

Removal rate of $NO_3-N$ and TN in a free water surface wetland system with litter layer on its bottom was compared with that without one. The system was established on floodplain in the down reach of the Gwangju Stream in 2001. Its dimensions were 31 meters in length and 12 meters in width. Water of the stream was funneled into it and its effluent was discharged back into the channel. Average litter layer of 9.6 cm was formed on its bottom in 2007. The layer and above-ground parts of reeds and cattails on the system were eliminated in Spring 2008. Volumes and water quality of inflow and outflow of the system were analyzed from May to November in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Inflow into the system both in 2007 and 2008 averaged approximately $40m^3/day$ and hydraulic residence time both in 2007 and 2008 was about 1.5 days. Average influent $NO_3-N$ concentration in 2007 and 2008 was 2.16 and 2.05 mg/L, respectively and influent TN concentration in 2007 and 2008 averaged 3.98 and 3.89 mg/L, respectively. With a 0.05 significance level, effluent temperatures, influent concentrations of $NO_3-N$ and TN, and stem numbers per square meter and height of the emergent plants showed no difference between the system with litter layer and without one. $NO_3-N$ removal in the system with litter layer and without it averaged 55.59 and 46.06%, respectively and TN retention averaged 57.24 and 48.97%, respectively. Both $NO_3-N$ and TN abatement rates in the system with litter layer were significantly high (p < 0.001) when compared with those without one. The wetland system having litter layer on its bottom was more efficient for $NO_3-N$ and TN retention than that without one.