CKSFERTILIZERS . ABN 44966967045 pH ModifiersInternationally there are many acidifying agents or pH modifiers that act to bind or inhibit ammonia release and to acidify the litter. In a review of broiler management factors, Carey et al (2004) cited studies that showed ammonia release was negligible at litter pH below 7. Ammonia release began when pH was near 7 and reached a maximum at pH 8 or above. On this basis the company ‘CKSFERTILIZERS’ will test the ability of ‘pHNatural’ (a known organic acidifier) to reduce pH and suppress the release and/or production of ammonia (NH3). Reduction of pH to below 6.8

will convert NH3 produced to NH4 and No3Other Litter treatments – pH Modifiers CKSFERTILIZERS, aware that no acidifiers were marketed in Australia, have imported an organic acidifier for trials in broiler sheds to determine the effect of pH reduction on NH3 production.I Trials of Odour Control Technologies on Broiler FarmsPublication No. 10/102Project No. DAV-213A

In reviewing these products as potential candidates for trials, it was noted that pH modifiers targetammonia reduction specifically rather than total odour. In addition, none of the products that werecommercially available overseas appear to be currently available for commercial sale in Australia.This meant that importation of the product, and the correct application and dosage suitable forAustralian conditions was yet to be developed. As such, pH modifiers were not considered further forthis project.ISBN 978-1-74254-073-3ISSN 1440-6845Trials of Odour Control Technologies on Broiler FarmsPublication No. 10/102Project No. DAV-213AResearcher Contact Details Dr Julie SimonsDepartment of Primary Industries Victoria1 Spring StreetMelbourne VIC 3000PHone: 03 9658 4865Fax: 03 9658 4472Email: Julie.simons@dpi.vic.gov.au

Trial Location. Woodlands Poultry Old Gympie Road BEERWAH 4519 Aim. • To determine the effect of ‘pHNatura’l on the pH of litter (sawdust and wood shavings) in Broiler sheds.

• To determine the effect of any pH change on the production of Ammonia.

• To determine the effect of the addition of ‘pHNatural’ on the temperature and moisture content of the litter.

To compare food conversion in chickens from treated and untreated litter.

To compare the relative fertilizer value of treated and untreated litter at the end of the batch.

To compare one batch and two batch litter.

Treatments1. Treated 20 kg per 100 m2 spread on top of litter before chickens are introduced.2. Standard programme for ‘Woodlands Poultry’.

Trial Design2 treatments x 4 replications. Trial Plan

Total of 8 x 1100 m2 broiler sheds.• TreatedCleaned and treated as per standard criteria of ‘Woodlands Poultry’ ‘pHNatural’ applied to sheds at 20 kg per 100 m2. Applied on top of clean litter.- 3 x 1100 m2 sheds Applied to 1 batch litter 1 x 1100 m2 shed with litter left in from 1 batch.• Untreated / Normal criteria

3 x 1100 m2 sheds new litter • 1 x 1100 m2 shed with litter left in from 1 batch.Procedure

Readings for:1. pH of litter 2. Litter moisture % 3. Shed Temperature, Humidity and NH3 Levels (24 hour data logging per shed x 1400 readings per 24 hrs.)

4. Dead bird counts (daily )5. Analysis of litter nutrient level at trial completion. 6. Food conversion details will be assessed after birds are slaughtered .All the above parameters will be monitored as per the attached record sheet TRIAL . Farm 6 Treated. pHNatural Sheds 54; 55; 56; 57. Shed 54 – ZEOLITE TREATED at the beginning of last batch

Control Woodlands ; All Woodlands sheds were treated with Zeolite Sheds 58; 59; 60.61. Start Date. Number of Chickens. 54 25/10 21000 55 25/10 21000 56 25/10 20500 57 26/10 20000 58 29/10 23500 59 28/10 22400 60 29/10 24000 61 1/11 20300

• To determine the effect of ‘pHNatura’l on the pH of litter (sawdust and wood shavings) in Broiler sheds.The results of the changes in pH will be determined by Hortus Technical Services.Samples of the litter from sheds 54,55,58,61 have been taken and sent for analysis.Attachment 1. Samples were taken from these 4 sheds on14/11/10 and the pH was tested . Results are recorded in Attachment 2. • To determine the effect of any pH change on the production of Ammonia. The results of changes in the amount of ammonia in the treated sheds against untreated sheds are recorded in detail in Attachments. 3 onwards.The results show a significant reduction in the production of ammonia in all treated sheds in comparison with the untreated sheds. Statistical analysis of the recordings is presented. See attachment 10 and 10a.;The difference in ammonia readings of all the treated sheds is not significantlydifferent from each other. The ammonia readings in the second batch litter and the new litter in the treated sheds were the same.

• To determine the effect of the addition of ‘pHNatural’ on the temperature and moisture content of the litter. Readings of litter temperature and moisture from all sheds were taken every second day during the life of the batch. These are recorded in table and graph form in attachment 11,12,. The results showed lower moisture in the treated sheds against the untreated . Results showed a significant difference between the treated and untreated second batch litter. The statistical analysis of these differences is shown in attachment 14.

• Regular readings of shed temperature and humidity were taken and recorded in attachment 15.

• To compare food conversion in chickens from treated and untreated litter.Results to be determined by Woodlands.

• Complete nutrient analysis will be conducted by Hortus Technical Services and the results will be included in this report.

Litter Moisture 17/11/10 - 2/12/10

Shed 54

Shed 58Litter Moisture

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Litter MoistureShed 58 Untreated Shed 54 Treated

Second batch litter

Shed 58

Shed 54

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Series1

Series2

Series3

Series4

Series5

Series6

Series7

Series8

Series9

Litter Temperature.

17 / 11 until 2 /1 2 / 2010

Treated

Untreated

Litter Moisture Readings Scale 1 – 9 . 1=Dry. 9 =Wet 10/12/10.//11/12/10. // 12 /12/2010. Treated sheds 54,55,56,57,. Shed 54 2nd batch litter. Untreated sheds 58,59,60,61,. Shed 58 2nd batch litter. Sheds 55 has 30 % of the ammonia level of Shed 59 with similar raised moisture levels. Sheds 56 and 57 have 25 % of the ammonia level of 60 and 61 although the moisture level in all of these sheds is low. Sheds 54 and 58 are dramatically different in both ammonia and moisture.

54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61

30

22

15

7.5

0.0

Litter Moisture versus Litter Ammonia Readings

NH3

9

5Moisture

10, 11, 12 /12 / 2010

Sheds 54 & 58; 2nd batch

P value and statistical significance:   The two-tailed P value equals 0.0375  By conventional criteria, this difference is considered to be statistically significant.

Confidence interval:  The mean of Group One minus Group Two equals -12.50  95% confidence interval of this difference: From -24.00 to -1.00

Intermediate values used in calculations:  t = 2.6600  df = 6  standard error of difference = 4.699

Review your data:

  Group   Group One     Group Two  

Mean 3.50 16.00

SD 1.29 9.31

SEM 0.65 4.65

N 4     4    

Ammonia Unpaired t test results Data 10/12/ 2010

More information on analysis is available from CKSFERTILIZERS. Ph. 07 54 990561              07 54 990561       07 53019927              07 53019927      

55

56

57

58

59

60

611 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Series1

Series2

Series3

Series4

Series5

Series6

Series7

Series8

54 Litter Moisture 17/11 – 2/12/ 2010

54

Treated Untreated

54 55 56 57 58 59 60 6110

9NH 3 Readings @ 3.5 M , MIDDLE OF THE SHED , CENTRE OF SHED.

8 8 Shed 58ppm NH3

7

6 6Shed 61

5Shed 55

4 4 Shed 563.5

3 22.5 Shed 57 2.5Shed 60

2Shed 54 Treated Shed 59 Control

1

These readings were taken during week 4 of the batch. Little ammonia was present with the exception of 2 untreated sheds.

CONCLUSIONS.• The use of pHNatural will significantly reduce the production of ammonia in broiler

sheds

• The use of pHNatural will significantly reduce the moisture content of the litter in both new and second batch litter. The difference in moisture content between new and second batch litter treated with pHNatural is not significant.

• The use of pHNatural will significantly reduce the build up of litter moisture in comparison with untreated litter.

• Second batch litter can be successfully used as an alternative to litter replacement after each batch. 3rd batch trial starts 4 / 1 / 11.

• Ammonia levels remained low independent of litter moisture in the treated sheds. Author’s Note Application rate of pHNatural.• The product was applied at 85 % of the recommended application rate due to some

confusion about the actual size of the sheds.• Comparative rates have been applied in the following trial . This will enable a dose

/response graph to be constructed from the data recorded.

Trial Location. 2nd follow on Trial. Woodlands Poultry Old Gympie Road BEERWAH 4519 Aim. • To determine the effect of ‘pHNatura’l on the pH of litter (sawdust and wood shavings) in Broiler sheds.• To determine the effect of any pH change on the production of Ammonia.• To determine the effect of the addition of ‘pHNatural’ on the temperature and moisture content of the litter. To compare food conversion in chickens from treated and untreated litter.To compare the relative fertilizer value of treated and untreated litter at the end of the batch. Treatments

1. Treated 20 kg per 100 m2 spread on top of litter before chickens are introduced. Trial PlanTotal of 8 x 1100 m2 broiler sheds.• Treated

pHNatural’ applied to sheds at 20 kg per 100 m2.

Applied on top

- 1 x 1100 m2 shed 3rd batch on litter treated twice Shed 54

3 x 1100 m2 sheds 2nd batch on litter treated twice Sheds 55 56 57

3 x 1100 m2 sheds 2nd batch on litter treated once. Sheds 59 60 61

• 1 x 1100 m2 shed . 3rd batch on litter treated once. Shed 58

Readings

pH of litter Litter moisture %

Ammonia ppm

Dead bird count

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 140

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Series1Series2Series3Series4

Shed 54

Shed 59

7/2 - 21/2 20110 == DRY 9 == WET

Shed 5 6

Shed58

LITTER MOISTURE

1 20

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Series1Series2Series3Series4

AMMONIA READINGS 7/2/11 UNTIL 21 / 2/ 11

54565859

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 200

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Series1Series2Series3Series4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 140

50

100

150

200

250

300

Series1Series2Series3Series4

Operator error at harvest

Graph above ; 10 /1 until 21/ 2 / 11 Below 22/ 2 until end of harvest

Dead bird count 2nd Trial

Shed 54 2.57 % , Shed 56 2.7%, Shed 58 2.6%. Shed 59 3.0%

Conclusions• The reuse of broiler litter will not increase the amount of ammonia generated from 2 batch and 3

batch litter.

• Litter moisture is the major factor influencing ammonia production.

• pHNatural will reduce the moisture level in the litter once the cause of the moisture increase is corrected.

• Ammonia levels will not rise in wet litter treated with pHNatural.

• All trials were conducted in sheds without positive ventilation.

• The sheds had circulating fans and old foggers.

• Dead bird counts in this trial over the 4 sheds monitored was 2.57% - 3.0 %.

• As the initial trial established and this trial proved, litter reuse is a very viable option as far as ammonia control is concerned.

• .