Effects of Heavy Application of Litter Amendment on Broiler House Ammonia Concentration

Litter amendments for ammonia control have been used extensively by the poultry industry. They are applied prior to chick arrival and are critical in maintaining proper air quality during the brooding period when ventilation rates are the lowest. While effective, these amendments generally are depleted by the time the birds are 10-14 days of age. The objective of this study was to examine whether litter amendment effectiveness can be extended by increasing application rates to reduce overall broiler house ammonia emissions and whether the effect is additive as multiple applications are applied to built-up litter. The study was conducted on a 6-house commercial broiler farm. At the beginning of the study all litter was removed from the houses and clean shavings were applied. A commercial litter amendment (PLT) a product with sodium bisulfate as the active ingredient was applied at the rates of 50, 100, and 150 lbs per 1000 ft2. House temperature, relative humidity and ventilation rates were monitored by the house controller and a computer placed on the farm. Ammonia concentrations were measured with GasTech Dosi-Tubes, Rae draw tubes, and Draeger electrochemical sensors. Litter samples were taken at the end of each flock for mineral analysis. Results indicate that the duration of reduced ammonia production appears to be positively correlated with the amount of sodium bisulfate applied to the house. Litter in the higher treatments retained more N in the form of ammonium than the control indicating that less N had been volatilized as ammonia The addition of increased amounts of litter treatment at the beginning of the flock may reduce ammonia production for an additional week, but additional applications or other solutions will be necessary to control ammonia during the last weeks of production.