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County Extension Agent Dean
Miner sifts through composted poultry manure.
Photo by Gary Neuenswander |
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Geographic Range: Western U.S.
Continental U.S. and areas with similar climate and high-rise, caged
layer poultry production systems. This SARE research was conducted
in the western U.S., but similar research has been done in Pennsylvania,
Maryland and Georgia.
Introduction
Manure handling, storage, and disposal are common problems facing
poultry producers in the United States. Fly and odor control, urban
encroachment, a limited nearby land base for manure disposal, and
increased regulatory pressures necessitate the development of alternatives
to traditional scrape and haul systems.
One alternative for high-rise layer facilities is to compost manure
inside of the buildings housing laying hens. Research showed that
the addition of a carbon source coupled with frequent aeration of
compost in a layer house produced temperatures high enough to inhibit
fly reproduction in the material.
In-house composting offers promising solutions to common problems
faced by egg producers. Since manure can be treated within the layer
facility, odors associated with manure disturbance and handling
when cleaning out a building are reduced. Fly control is achieved
with heat, thereby reducing the need for pesticides. In addition,
a more uniform and marketable compost product is produced, which
greatly reduces the need for a nearby agricultural land base for
manure disposal. Research conducted by others [1]also
has shown that the final weight and volume of material produced
are at least 35% lower after in-house composting compared to traditional
systems where poultry manure accumulates undisturbed.
This article summarizes the in-house composting process and relevant
research findings from a Western
SARE project in Utah for producers interested in adopting the
process on their farms. Additional information on in-house composting
can be found on the Internet and in the publications cited in this
article.
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