The study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a bio-hygienic litter additive in the ammonia control during seven years. Ammonia is an atmospheric pollutant because its detrimental effects when too prevalent in livestock houses. A field trial was performed in a commercial Umbrian broiler facility where two houses, C (Control) and T (Treated), were selected for similarity in sizes, ventilation systems, density, drinking and eating equipments, and presence of a 5-7 cm deep wheat straw litter treated in house T was covering the surface by calcium sulphate, essential oils of lavender and lemon grass as follows: 2 g of additive plus 25 g of calcium carbonate/m2twice the first month; 1 g of additive plus 25 g of calcium carbonate/m2twice a month until each cycle end. Ammonia concentration was measured using a Draeger PAC-III in the 1th and 6th-7th weeks, for 20 production cycles. The ammonia mean values in house C and T in the 1th week were 4,12±2,14 ppm and 4,01±2,66 ppm (P=0,76; -17,0%), and the 6th-7th weeks were 21,01±17,31 and 11,13±7,01 ppm (P=0,00022; -62,9%) respectively. Also Coccidian oocysts regularly detected for years in both houses C and T, after the beginning of treatment were recorded, for the first four cycles, only in the litter C (mean = 325.0 Oocysts/g; ES= 239.35); conversely no oocysts were detected in litter T. The present results suggest this as a potential method of reducing ammonia emissions from livestock houses.
BIO-HYGIENIC LITTER TREATMENT AS IMPROVEMENT OF WELFARE AND HEALTH OF REARED COMMERCIAL BROILERS
TACCONI, Giuseppina;BORGHI, Piero;FRANCIOSINI, Maria Pia;VERONESI, FABRIZIA;PIERGILI FIORETTI, Daniela
2013
Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a bio-hygienic litter additive in the ammonia control during seven years. Ammonia is an atmospheric pollutant because its detrimental effects when too prevalent in livestock houses. A field trial was performed in a commercial Umbrian broiler facility where two houses, C (Control) and T (Treated), were selected for similarity in sizes, ventilation systems, density, drinking and eating equipments, and presence of a 5-7 cm deep wheat straw litter treated in house T was covering the surface by calcium sulphate, essential oils of lavender and lemon grass as follows: 2 g of additive plus 25 g of calcium carbonate/m2twice the first month; 1 g of additive plus 25 g of calcium carbonate/m2twice a month until each cycle end. Ammonia concentration was measured using a Draeger PAC-III in the 1th and 6th-7th weeks, for 20 production cycles. The ammonia mean values in house C and T in the 1th week were 4,12±2,14 ppm and 4,01±2,66 ppm (P=0,76; -17,0%), and the 6th-7th weeks were 21,01±17,31 and 11,13±7,01 ppm (P=0,00022; -62,9%) respectively. Also Coccidian oocysts regularly detected for years in both houses C and T, after the beginning of treatment were recorded, for the first four cycles, only in the litter C (mean = 325.0 Oocysts/g; ES= 239.35); conversely no oocysts were detected in litter T. The present results suggest this as a potential method of reducing ammonia emissions from livestock houses.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
