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Accumulation of Elements in Fractionated Broiler Litter during Re-Utilization

Department of Health Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-5220; Phone: (309) 438-8329; FAX: (309) 438-2450

Oscar C. Pancorbo

Massachusetts Department of Environmental protection, Lawrence, MA 01843

William C. Merka

Extension Poultry Science, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

Sidney A. Thompson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

Miguel L. Cabrera

Department of Crop & Soil Sciences/Institute of Ecology, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

Harold M. Barnhart

Department of Food Science and Technology, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

Correspondence: Timothy R. Kelley

Poultry litter is a mixture of broiler (chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus) excreta and bedding material. The broiler industry may produce more litter than can be locally land-applied without causing environmental degradation. Passing whole litter through 0.83- and 3.33-mm sieves separates a fine fraction that can be land-applied as fertilizer and a coarse fraction that can be mixed with bedding and re-utilized in broiler houses. A study was conducted to determine whether the coarse litter fraction could be re-utilized as a supplement for bedding in broiler houses without significant accumulation of heavy metals and other elements. Wood shavings supplemented with either stored or fresh coarse litter and a treatment of unsupplemented wood shavings were used as bedding material during a 40-day broiler growth period. Initial and final litter samples were collected and analyzed for Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, N, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Si, Sr, and Zn. Results indicated that element concentrations in wood shavings bedding supplemented with litter did not increase significantly during the final 30 days of a 40-day growth period. However, significant accumulation of several litter elements in unsupplemented wood shavings bedding during the entire 40-day growth period indicated that repeated recycling of litter as a bedding supplement may lead to significant accumulation of elements in litter.

Key Words: Accumulation • broiler • element • litter • supplemented