Poultry waste

POULTRY WASTE
  • Poultry production operations generate significant quantities of animal waste, mainly manure, but also including other materials such as bedding. Management of animal waste depends primarily on the type of operation, which may primarily consist of dry or wet cage system or litter.
  • Animal waste management includes collection, transport, storage, treatment, utilization and disposal of the waste. Manure is sometimes composted, but can also be stored in stacking sheds, roofed storage areas, outside and either covered or uncovered, or occasionally in ponds until it is ready for transport to a disposal site or land application area.
  • Manure is generally used as a fertilizer on agricultural land. Manure contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and other excreted substances such as hormones, antibiotics, and heavy metals which are part of the feed. These substances may result in air emissions of ammonia and other gases and may pose a potential risk of contamination to surface or ground water resources through leaching and runoff.
  • Manure also contains bacteria and pathogens which may also potentially affect soil, water, and food resources, particularly if it is not properly managed during application as an agricultural fertilizer.
  • The following management measures are recommended to minimize the amount of manure produced, to facilitate handling of animal wastes, and to minimize migration of contaminants to surface water, groundwater, and air:
    • Implement a Comprehensive Nutrition Management Plan to ensure that manure application to the vegetation does not exceed the requirement
    • Match feed content to the specific nutritional requirements of the birds in their different production/ growth stages
    • Use low-protein diets, supplemented with amino acids
    • Use low-phosphorus diets with highly digestible inorganic phosphates (e.g. a total phosphorus reduction of 0.05 to 0.1 percent [0.5 to 1 g/kg of feed] can be achieved in poultry)
    • Use quality, uncontaminated feed materials (e.g. where concentrations of pesticides and dioxins are known and do not exceed acceptable levels) that contain no excess copper, zinc, etc. but have necessary additives only
    • Manure storage facilities are constructed with concrete floors and roof to prevent manure contamination of surface water and ground water
    • Keep manure as dry as possible by scraping the droppings instead of flushing with water to remove droppings. Minimize amount of water used during cleaning (for example, by using high-pressure, low-flow nozzles)
    • Use hot water or steam in cleaning activities instead of cold water, as this can reduce the amount of water used by 50 percent
    • Further reduce the moisture content of dry poultry excreta (e.g. by blowing dry air over it or by conveying ventilation air through the manure pits)
    • Minimize the surface area of manure in storage
    • Locate manure piles away from water bodies, flood plains, wells or other sensitive habitats
    • Check for leakage regularly (e.g. inspect tanks for corrosion of seams, especially those near ground level, and empty tanks at least annually or as necessary)
    • Use double valves on outlets from liquid tanks to minimize the risk of unintentional release
    • Manure storage facilities should have sufficient capacity to store 9–12 months of manure production, so that manure can be applied to agricultural land at appropriate times
    • Design, construct, operate, and maintain waste management and storage facilities to contain all manure, litter, and process waste water
    • Remove liquids and sludge from lagoons as necessary to prevent overflowing
    • Build a reserve slurry storage lagoon
    • Transport liquid effluent in sealed tankers
    • Manage sludge and sediments from waste water treatment systems as part of the solid waste stream with special consideration of potentially harmful constituents
Last modified: Saturday, 5 May 2012, 9:14 AM