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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #155984
Title: BROILER HOUSE AMMONIA EMISSIONS

Author
item CARR, LEWIS - UNIV OF MARYLAND
item Meisinger, John
item HARTER-DENNIS, JEANINE - UMD EASTERN SHORE
item SCUDLARK, JOE - UNIV OF DELAWARE

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2003
Publication Date: 1/26/2004
Citation: Carr, L., Meisinger, J.J., Harter-Dennis, J., Scudlark, J. 2004. Broiler house ammonia emissions. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The goal of this research effort was to quantify ammonia emissions from broiler production under environmental conditions typical of the Mid-Atlantic region and assess management treatments that may reduce emissions. This research was conducted in six independent windowless environmental chambers at the Poultry Research Center University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Each chamber had a floor area of about 35 square meters, housing 500 mixed sex broiler chicks for 42 days. The chambers were set-up to mirror field conditions with automatic feeders and nipple drinkers. Ventilation was provided by two fans; one was continuous run and the other activated by a pre-set thermostat depending on bird age. Each chamber was instrumented with two proportional flow grid air samplers, a flow meter to measure air flow in the grid, acid scrubbers (two per chamber) to trap ammonia, and the appropriate duct work and hardware to monitor the total air flow from each chamber. Three treatments were used: control, and two acid litter treatments. Each treatment was duplicated. A rough preliminary review of the data suggest that ammonia emissions from the control were consistent with existing literature values of 10-20 grams per bird aver the 42 day production cycle. The acidified treatments showed a 20-50% reduction in emissions. The treatment with the greater acid equivalent had the higher reduction. Data were determined for a winter and summer flock.