THE YIELD OF POULTRY WASTES
When birds are housed on littered floor, the amount of
poultry house wastes (litter) may be twice as that of
droppings alone.
It has also been estimated that of every kg of egg
mass produced, a hen excreta nearly accounts 4 kg of
fresh droppings or 1 kg of the dry excreta.
MANURE OR WASTES FROM POULTRY
Contribute significantly towards crop
production through enriching soil fertility.
Withcommercializationofpoultryfarming
activityinaverybigwayduringthelastfew
decades,hugeamountsofpoultryhouse
wastesaregeneratedandbecomingavailable
forthispurpose.
PROCESSED POULTRY HOUSE WASTES
Do not have their original characteristics and are wholesome
in appearance, smell and texture.
Also, these represent a cheap reservoir of nutrients and other
growth promoting factors. Poultry wastes contain higher
concentration of N, Ca, P etc., than those from other farm
animal wastes and, consequently, present a more intensive
source of nutrient recycling.
Moreover, the poultry wastes are relatively dry and essentially
totally collectable at site.
The cost of such raw material
The cost incurred on their collection and processing alone.
UTILIZATION OF POULTRY WASTE AS LIVESTOCK FEED
Economic considerations
Environmental considerations
1.In view of the fact that feed usually represents 60-70% of total costs
on animal production, its replacement to some extent by the
processed wastes may significantly help reduce feeding expenses.
The potentiality of poultry wastes as a feedstuff especially for
ruminants has been well documented.
2.Poultry wastes have been successfully employed in many countries
for beef, dairy and sheep production.
3.In the U.K. certain organizations like ThornbersLtd. and Ross Ltd. are
engaged in commercial production and marketing of poultry manure
as a feedstuff for livestock and poultry.
4.In order to improve its public image, poultry manure in the USA is
called by the name Poultry Anaphagemeaning to eat again.
FEEDING POULTRY WASTED BACK TO POULTRY
1.Thehighcontentsofuricacid,CFandashlimitthe
usageofpoultrywastesinfishrationstoalevelhigher
than5%.
2.Thehighashcontentsindietsconsistingofpoultry
wastescan,however,becurtailedthroughappropriate
reductionintheamountofmineralmixture.
3.Effortshavealsobeenmadetoreduceuricacidcontents
inpoultryexcretathroughphysical,chemical,
microbiologicalorfungaltreatment.
4.Experiencehasshownthatrecyclingofpoultrywastesin
poultryrations,thoughtechnicalfeasible,offersveryfew
practicalbenefits.
PROCESSING OF POULTRY WASTES
1.In order to minimize risk of health hazard
following feeding of poultry wastes to farm
livestock, it may be useful to process these
appropriately.
2.Processing methods helpful in
detoxification
improving its feeding value
palatability
texture/colouretc
1. DEHYDRATION
a)Drying is an oldest method known to be effective
against pathogens
b)Drying of poultry manure or litter is feasible because
it contains less moisture than that in pig, cattle or
buffalo excreta.
c)Sun drying is inexpensive but slow.
d)Drying at high temperature leads to significant lose
of N which can be minimized through acidification of
excreta prior to drying.
2. STACKING
a)Another simple way of drying poultry waste is through
stacking.
b)The litter is stacked to a depth of about 1.5 m under a roof
for 6-8 weeks. Such litter is fairly sterile with fecal coli
forms such as salmonella,
c)This may as well be treated with formalin to preserve its
nutrients.
3. CHEMICAL TREATMENT
a)Feeing of fresh poultry manure is possible only when it
has been treated with formalin.
b)Apart from its main function as a preservative, formalin
acts as bactericide and fungicide thus drastically
lowering the microbial count of the substrate.
c)The manure is treated with0.7% formalin (V/W)
containing 37% formaldehyde.
d)The addition of molasses to formalin-treated stuff is
often necessary to improve its palatability.
HEALTH HAZARD AND SAFETY CONSIDERATION
Thegreatconcernliesintheexcessiveaccumulationofmacro-
mineral(Ca,Si,andFe),traceelements(Cu,Mn,Zn,Se),
medicinal compounds (anti-biotics, coccidiostats,
sulphatmilamides)mycotoxinsandhormones besides
pathogensdirectlytransmittableviawastesfromanimalsto
humanbeings
Moststudiesontheseaspectsshowthattherumenmicrobes
virtuallybreakdownallofthemetabolitesderivedfromfecal
wastes.
Likewise, toxicological research involving feeding of dried layer
manure at 30% level on dry basis to steers for 180 days
revealed no adverse effects on various physiological
parameters.
Experimental and field observations have so far producedno
evidence to show that poultry wastes recycling poses any
potential health risk to animals provided that such wastes have
properly been processed and the rations carefully balanced.