• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.215-218
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• 2022

This study investigated the effect of adding poultry litter additive containing probiotics and amino acids to the litter on weight gain in ducks and ammonia content in poultry litter. Nine hundred 1-day-old ducks (Pekin) were randomly distributed into three groups (300 birds per treatment divided into three replicates) using a randomized block design. Treatments were top-dressed on the litter surface at rates of 2 kg poultry litter additives (T1) and 2 kg macsumsuk (T2) per m², and untreated poultry litter was used as the control. Overall, a significant difference (p<0.05) in weight gains was observed at 3 and 4 weeks, but not at 5 and 6 weeks. After 4 weeks, when compared to other treatments, the addition of poultry litter additive tended to increase the average body weight gain (90-130 g). The ammonia content was affected by all treatments (p<0.05) over time except at 3 weeks, however, compared to other treatments, the poultry litter additive decreased the ammonia content. In particular, the rate of ammonia reduction by the poultry litter additives over time was approximately 20.2%-49.2%. Regarding temperature, a significant difference was observed in all treatment groups (p<0.05), except at 3 weeks. In conclusion, considering poultry litter additives and temperature, the increase in duck weight gain was associated with a decrease in ammonia content in the poultry litter.

• 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.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.143-146
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chemical blend additives (a combination of ferrous sulfate and aluminum chloride) on decreasing pathogens in poultry litter. A total of 240 broiler chickens were assigned to 4 chemical treatments with 4 replicates of 15 chickens per pen. The four chemical blend additives were a control (no treatment), 25 g ferrous sulfate + 75 g aluminum chloride/kg poultry litter, 50 g ferrous sulfate + 100 g aluminum chloride/kg poultry litter and 100 g ferrous sulfate + 150 aluminum chloride/kg poultry litter. During the 6-wk experimental period, there were significant differences in both E.coli and Salmonella enterica for weeks 4 through 6, but not at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. Consequently, using chemical blend additives that serve as methods to control strict environmental regulations reduced pathogens in poultry litter.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1437-1442
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• 2009

Recent studies have shown that alum addition to litter results in many environmental and economic advantages, such as reductions in metal runoff, lower ammonia emission and improved poultry performance. However, no research has been conducted to evaluate the effects of different types of alum on soluble metals in poultry litter. The objective of this study was conducted to investigate changes in soluble metal from poultry litter with different types of aluminum sulfate (alum) under laboratory condition. The treatments used in this study, which were mixed in the upper 1 cm of litter or sprayed onto the litter surface, were 4 g alum, 8 g alum, 8.66 g liquid alum, 17.3 g liquid alum, 11.2 g A7 (high acid alum), and 22.4 g A7 (high acid alum)/100 g litter. Applying different types of alum to poultry litter reduced (P<0.05) concentrations of soluble Fe (9 to 54%), Cu (9 to 49%) and Zn (11 to 40%), relative to untreated litter, whereas it increased Ca and Mg (P<0.05). Mean soluble Fe and Cu levels in poultry litter from different types of alum decreased in the order: 22.4 g A7 (54% and 49%) > 17.3 g liquid alum (48% and 42%) > 8 g alum (48% and 31%) > 4 g alum (28% and 10%) > 8.6 g liquid alum (10% and 9%) > 11.2 g A7 (8.6% and 9%). Additionally, the high reduction in soluble Zn concentration was 4 g alum (40%), followed by 8 g alum (26%), 22.4 g A7 (25%), 17.3 g liquid alum (23%), 8.66 g liquid alum (18%), and 11.2 g A7 (11%), respectively. In conclusion, the current studies suggest that treating poultry litter with different types of alum can be applied to reduce soluble metal (Fe, Cu, and Zn) and to develop a production to merchandise for poultry litter that would result in reduction in pollutants from these materials. Furthermore, in order to improve environmental management in the poultry industry, the use of alum, liquid alum and high acid alum all should be provided a valid means of reducing negative environmental impact.

• 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.32 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2023

The effects of essential oils on pH, pathogens, and volatile fatty acids (VFA) in two poultry litters were investigated through a lab study. Essential oil-added poultry litters were randomly divided to two groups: control (200 g poultry litter) and Treatment (50 g thymol/Briefly, 200 g broiler litter was treated with or without 50 g thymol (Control and T1, respectively; 1 groups) and 200 g duck litter was treated with or without 50 g carvacrol (Control and T2, respectively; 2 group). Adding thymol to broiler litter increased the pH, reduced pathogens, and did not affect VFA. Interestingly, adding carvacrol slightly reduced the pH of duck litter, but had no significant effect on reducing pathogens and VFA. This difference is probably because the essential oil used and the properties of the two litters are different. In addition, pH was thought to control the odor generated from the litter, but this has not been proven. Further field studies should focus on clarifying this point.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2017

The isolation rate of Escherichia (E.) coli in poultry litter was investigated at 44 broiler farms, 20 that used fresh litter and 24 that used recycled litter. The patterns of resistance to antibiotics of the E. coli isolates were compared. In litter sampled before the rearing period, the isolation rate of E. coli was higher at farms that used fresh litter; E. coli was present in the litter in 94.5% (35 out of 37 flocks tested) of the farms that used fresh litter vs. 51.2% (21 out of 41 flocks) of the farms that used recycled litter. The susceptibility of the 93 isolates of E. coli to 13 antibiotics was studied. Before the rearing period, E. coli isolates from the farms that recycled litter showed higher resistance rates than isolates from farms that replaced litter with fresh litter. Comparing the antibiotic resistance patterns of isolates from litter sampled before and at the end of the rearing period, the antibiotic resistance rates at the end of the rearing period increased dramatically compared with rates before the rearing period.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.275-279
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• 2022

This study was conducted to examine the performance of poultry production and ammonia emissions from poultry litter when the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) powder was fed to broilers and ducks. In Experiment 1, a total of 180 1-day-old broilers (Arbor acres) were allocated to two treatments with three replicates in a completely randomized design. In Experiment 2, ducks were used in the same method as in Experiment 1. The dietary treatments were as follows: basal diets as control and basal diets with 1.5% Tenebrio molitor L. powder as T1. In Experiment 1, broiler production was not affected by the addition of mealworm powder (p>0.05). Ammonia from broiler litter was observed significantly different in the two treatments at 4 and 5 weeks (p<0.05); however, in other weeks ammonia measured did not show significance different (p>0.05). In Experiment 2, feeding of mealworm powder had no statistical significance on duck productivity (p>0.05). Ammonia emissions from duck litter were not statistically significant in the two treatments at 2 to 5 weeks (p>0.05); however, there was a difference at 6 weeks (p<0.05). Therefore, the addition of mealworm powder to broiler and duck diets did not only improved weight gain and feed efficiency, but also effectively reduced ammonia in poultry litter.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.233-237
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• 2008

The objective of this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of poultry litter amendments on pH and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in poultry litter. Two laboratory studies were conducted for 42 d in Exp. 1 and for 10 d in Exp. 2, respectively. The poultry litter was treated with various amendments which included 4 g fly ash and 4 g $AlCl_3\;(AlCl_36H_2O)/100g$ litter in Exp. 1 and 4 g alum$(Al_2(SO_4){_3}\;14H_2O)$, 8 g alum, 8.66 g liquid alum, and 17.3 g liquid alum/100 g litter in Exp. 2; untreated litter served as controls. There were no differences in pH between control and T1(4 g fly ash) and SRP contents between T1(4 g fly ash) and T2(4 g $AlCl_3$) in Exp. 1. A significant difference in pH and SRP contents in Exp. 2 was observed among all treatments(P< 0.05). In experiment 1, T1(4 g fly ash) and T2(4 g $AlCl_3$) at 42 d decreased SRP in litter by 47.1% and 62.6% of that from litter alone, respectively. In experiment 2, T1(4 g alum), T2(8.66 g liquid alum), T3(8 g alum), and T4(17.3 g liquid alum) treatments at 10 days reduced SRP contents by up to 36.2%, 62.9%, 87.0%, and 83.9%, respectively, when compared with the controls. Decrease in SRP contents was chiefly associated with reduction in litter pH. These results indicate that use of various litter amendments to limit P solubility has potential and should be pursued as a means of reducing soluble reative phosphorus during short term.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.331-333
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• 2014

We investigated the effects of sea urchin shell powder on 2 volatile fatty acids, acetic and butyric acid, in poultry litter. A total of 60 1-d-old male broiler chicks (Arbor Acres) were allocated to 2 treatments (basal diet and 1% sea urchin shell powder) with 3 replicates of 10 birds each. During the 4-week experimental period, significant differences in acetic acid and butyric acid concentrations were observed between treatments (P < 0.05), except for acetic acid at 1 week. Additions of 1% sea urchin shell powder resulted in lower acetic and butyric acid concentrations compared to the litter of control birds. We conclude that the sea urchin shell powder used in this study might prove beneficial in reducing environmental pollution caused by poultry litter.