Watershed Task Force updated on poultry litter

By MANDY SPIKES | Central Texas Edition

Terry Thompson, with Sanderson Farms, presented information on phytase addition to poultry feeds and alum addition to litter. -- Photo by Mandy Spikes

May 29, 2003 -- Discussion on poultry litter was the focus of the Watershed Task Force meeting, held May 21 in Bryan. Terry Thompson, production manager for Sanderson Farms, discussed Sanderson's programs for both phytase addition to feeds and alum addition to litter.

"We have found that using supplemental phytase in broiler chickens' diets will increase the phosphorus available and decrease the phosphorus excretion."

He stated that phosphorus for chicken is an essential nutrient. "It's essential in almost every aspect of the metabolism and is a dietary requirement.

"Phosphorus deficiency causes rickets in young animals and osteoporosis in adult animals." Other side effects include reduced egg production, reduced egg shell quality, and in severe cases, death.

"Chickens are not like cattle in their dietary source. These sources include inorganic sources, animal byproduct meals, and plants."

He explained that with plant phosphorus, two-thirds of the total phosphorus found is phytin phosphorus. "The low availability of this element results in an increase of requirements for inorganic phosphorus supplementation."

Phytase, said Thompson, is an enzyme that releases phosphorus from the phytate molecule. "This is now produced commercially and is included in poultry diets at a level that allows reduction of dietary phosphorus depending on the age of the bird. Phytase also increases the availability of calcium so less calcium is needed to add to the diet.

"We use phytase on all the Sanderson farms. We began using it in mid-February and it has reduced phosphorus by at least 30 percent. We feel this has been successful and will continue to use it in the future."

As to the use of alum in poultry litter treatment, Thompson said, "Several poultry house litter treatments have been available commercially. There are three products we are currently using. They are poultry litter treatment, also called PLT, Al+Clear, and ammonia hold."

Thompson explained that reducing ammonia in the poultry house prevents birds from ammonia burned eyes, aids in preventing any respiratory problems and any other health issues caused by excessive ammonia, greatly reduces producer's cost in electricity and natural gas cost due to lowering fan use to maintain proper air quality levels, and aids in odor reduction.

"All the applications have to be spread in the houses by mechanical means. To date, all the houses on the Sanderson farms have claimed to reduce the ammonia levels."

He stated that there are some disadvantages to producers when using alum. "One disadvantage is an activation problem, which requires adding water in order to wet products in the poultry house. This is due to dry house conditions. Other problems are: It doesn't reduce ammonia as well as other products; There is not enough improvement in bird performance to pay for the product; and There is very little decrease of litter pH."