Effects of frequency of multiple applications of litter amendment on litter ammonia and live performance in a shared airspace

Abstract

SUMMARY Mitigation of ammonia (NH3) volatilization from litter is of particular interest given its effects on broiler health and production efficiency, as well as air and water quality concerns. Typical management guidelines recommend aerial NH3 concentrations be limited to 25 ppm. However, concentrations in excess of this recommendation are common in winter months due to limited minimum ventilation to conserve heat. Litter amendments are an effective means to reduce ammonia volatilization and are applied to the litter before chick placement. In this study, we evaluated the effects of differing application frequencies of a sodium bisulfate-based litter amendment on bird performance and equilibrium litter NH3 concentrations. Treatments consisted of no amendment application (negative control), initial application before placement (positive control), and varied application schedules at 14, 28, and 43 d at 0.49 kg/m 2 (100 lb/1,000 ft 2 ). Repeated application of litter amendment did not affect live performance or foot pad quality. More frequent application of litter amendment significantly reduced equilibrium litter NH3 concentration when compared with the negative and positive controls. The most effective application program was biweekly, with significant reductions of 56.6 and 21.8% at d 42 and 57, respectively. Therefore, repeated application during growout can effectively mitigate ammonia volatilization from litter without incurring reductions in live performance or foot pad quality.