November 2010 Articles

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Poultry Waste

Poultry Waste? Theresia K. Lavergne, Associate Professor, School of Animal Sciences, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA Poultry waste (litter) is not necessarily waste at all but can be a valuable resource in agriculture. The nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in poultry litter can be recycled into other facets of agricultural production. And, LSU AgCenter scientists are providing research based information that helps producers utilize nutrients produced on their farms in environmentally-conscious ways. Broilers are produced in total confinement housing, and there are approximately 2,000 broiler houses in Louisiana. These broilers produce more than 178,000 tons of litter (manure and bedding material) each year. The litter primarily is utilized as fertilizer for pasture and hayfields. Producers must handle poultry litter in an environmentally-friendly manner. If not handled properly, water runoff from land that litter has been improperly applied to or stored on can reduce surface and groundwater quality by introducing excessive levels of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, organic matter, and pathogens into the environment. The excessive runoff of these nutrients into our waterways can result in degradation and contamination, which could make waterways unsafe for swimming and/or fishing. Even more severe, high levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) can lead to excessive algal growth in waterways that can cause hypoxia and fish-kills. Best Management Practices (BMPs) do help keep waterways from becoming impaired. LSU AgCenter researchers recommend that producers implement a 20 foot buffer (unfertilized zone), for land with a 0-5% slope, along waterways when they are applying poultry litter as a fertilizer to maintain good water quality. In addition, restricting the access of cattle or other animals from waterways will help protect water quality. Data on the effectiveness of BMPs that are implemented to minimize the effect of production agriculture on water quality can be found in the LSU AgCenter. Much of the waste produced by poultry is utilized as fertilizer for pasture or hayfields. Research in the LSU AgCenter has focused on litter application rates and uptake of phosphorus by several different grasses. In general, the trends indicate that yields of grasses increase with increased level of litter application, and phosphorus removal from the soil by the harvested grass increases too. Also, LSU AgCenter researchers provide information on reducing soil phosphorus when litter is applied to land over long periods of time. Poultry litter is a valuable fertilizer for cotton production. Researchers have reported that yield of cotton increased as the application of poultry litter increased from 0 to 4 tons per acre. The models for economic feasibility of transporting poultry litter indicate that the value of the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can still be realized when transported as many as 22 miles for utilization on crops (such as corn, cotton, sorghum, or wheat). Through information produced by scientists in the LSU AgCenter, agricultural producers can improve their environmental stewardship, reduce the impact of agricultural production on the environment, and utilize the valuable nutrients in animal waste. More information on poultry and animal waste research efforts within the LSU AgCenter can be found in the Spring 2010 issue of Louisiana Agriculture at http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/communications/publications/agmag/