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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #374841
Research Project: Quantifying Air and Water Quality Benefits of Improved Poultry Manure Management Practices

Location: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research

Title: Nutrient characteristics of poultry litter and manure

Author
item Ashworth, Amanda
item CHASTAIN, JOHN - University Of South Carolina

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2020
Publication Date: 5/20/2020
Citation: Ashworth, A.J., Chastain, J. 2020. Nutrient characteristics of poultry litter and manure. Abstract. Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Community (LPELC).

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animal manures have been used to supply nutrients for plant growth and production since the inception of agriculture. Concurrent with chemical fertilizer cost increases, farmers are developing a renewed interest in poultry (layers, pullets, broilers, turkeys) litter for fertilizer in pasturelands and croplands, as well as organic crop production systems. Therefore, given the increasing acreage of organic or local usage of fertility sources for forage and crop production, and the increased demand for protein-based diets, there is a growing need for improved poultry manure and litter-based nutrient management for sustained water quality and plant and animal productivity. Poultry manure contains all of the 13 essential plant macro- and micronutrients that are required for plant growth and development. These elements originate from supplements, feed, and enzymes. Overall, poultry litter nutrient characteristics and composition include: i) a multitude of factors influence elemental composition and form, which is not limited to bedding material, supplement and feed rates and sources, number of flocks between poultry house clean-out, litter storage and handling, and poultry operation type; ii) compared with other manure sources, poultry litter and manure is high in total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), although some fractions of N are not immediately available to plants during the first year; iii) to prevent excess P loading, poultry litter and manure should be applied based on crop P requirements; and, iv) poultry litter and manure soil amendments have the ability to improve yield and soil quality, and is an important fertility source in agriculture. There are complex network of production system practices and externalities that drive poultry litter compositional and nutritive differences throughout U.S. poultry farms. Knowledge of the nutritive content of this important fertilizer source is essential in the nutrient management planning of poultry operations and for the reduction of nonpoint-source pollution.