Field Trials of Alum Amendment of Broiler Litter to Reduce Soluble Phosphorus
Author(s)
Worley, John W.
Cabrera, Miguel L.
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Hatcher, Kathryn J.
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Abstract
Aluminum sulfate (alum) has been demonstrated to reduce ventilation and heating requirements by lowering pH and thus reducing ammonia release from broiler litter during brooding of broiler chickens raised on previously used litter. It also has been shown to reduce runoff of phosphorus from fields where litter is applied, and increase nitrogen levels in treated litter. Most previous research, however, has been done in locations and under different litter management than is common in Georgia. This research compared broiler houses in North Georgia operated under a common management scheme with other houses using alum amendment of the litter. The second stage compared houses with alum added at full rate with others where alum was added at half the recommended rate. This research demonstrated that much of the economic benefit of adding alum can be achieved by adding only half the recommended rate. Soluble phosphorus and ammonium nitrogen levels were adversely affected by reducing application rates. While the environmental benefit of phosphorus runoff reduction would be lessened by adding less alum, an advantage may be realized industry wide by reducing the application rate since more growers would be likely to use it due to economic benefits.
Sponsor
Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology
Date
1999-03
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings