Chemical and microbiological characterization of quail wastes

Abstract

Abstract: For many years in the scenario of the Brazilian poultry production, the quail breeding was considered an alternative activity and just for small farmers. However, because of its potential for the production of eggs and meat, the commercial use of the quails has grown significantly and consequently the amount of waste produced. Such residues may be used as bio-fertilizers, directly as organic fertilizer or converted into compost or even in alternative energy through anaerobic digestion in digesters. To conduct any of these processes it becomes necessary the knowledge of its characteristics, which is incipient. Then, this study aimed to analyze the physicochemical characteristics and microbiological of the quail wastes. The analyses related to the density (D), electrical conductivity (EC), total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), fixed solids (FS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH , total nitrogen (Nt), nitrogen ammonia (Nammoniacal), total phosphorus (Pt), potassium (K), sodium (Na), total coliform (TC) and fecal (FC) were performed at the Laboratory of Water Quality (LQA ), in the Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Vicosa, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The following results were found: D: 2060 g L-1 EC: 13.59 mS cm-1, ST: 24.50 dag kg-1, SV: 18.25 dag kg-1, SF: 6.27 dagkg-1, BOD: 659.32 mg L-1, COD: 7.64 mg L-1, pH: 6.01, Nt: 663.32 mg L-1, Namoniacal: 115.36 mg.L -1,Pt: 0.24 mg L-1, K: 225 mg L-1, Na: 20.10 mg L-1, TC; 56.9 MPN, FC: 18.1 MPN. These results are consistent with those of some other categories of birds mentioned in the literature.