Ammonia Quick Test and Ammonia Dosimeter Tubes for Determining Ammonia Levels in Broiler Facilities

Abstract

A general recommendation is to keep ammonia levels in poultry facilities below 25 ppm. Unfortunately, a reliable, inexpensive method of determining ammonia levels has not been well established. To address this situation, ammonia concentrations, as determined by the Ammonia Quick Test and the passive dosimeter tube, were compared to the ammonia concentration determined by the gas detector tube. The ammonia Quick Test estimated ammonia levels accurately at levels of 20-25 ppm of ammonia. The passive dosimeter tubes estimated average ammonia levels accurately at low levels of ammonia. Comparisons of ammonia concentration to relative humidity suggest that ammonia can increase much more rapidly than relative humidity.