D24LanCMtor Farming Saturday, Dacambar 14,1985
Poultry manure: economical
NEWARK, Del. - Farming on
the Delmarva peninsula is
dominated by com, soybeans and
small grains for use by local
poultry producers. This cropping
system is a classic example of
resource recycling, since much of
the nitrogen required for these
grains comes from the manure
which is an industry by-product. In
Delaware alone nearly 250,000 tons
of poultry manure is generated
each year.
Ideally, the system should be
virtually self-contained. But for
this to happen, farmers must know
how to calculate the fertilizer
value-especially nitrogen-of the
manure they spread on cropland.
This enables them to use it more
efficiently, reducing the need for
additional N from other sources.
The result? Lower production
costs without sacrificing yield.
Given the nature of many
Delmarva soils (sandy and thus
easily leached) and the climate
(plentiful rain), poultry manure
must also be managed so that
shallow groundwater supplies are
protected from excessive nitrate
leaching.
Dr. J. Thomas Sims, a soil
scientist at the University of
Delaware Agricultural Ex
periment Station, has completed a
three-year field study aimed at
t
Ohio Feedlot, the largest facility of its type in the state, feeds an average of 7,000
head.
Ohio Feedlot fattens steers
BY DEBBIE STILES-RENZI
Staff Correspondent
SOUTH CHARLESTON, OH. -
Manure disposal’s a problem. High
feed costs are a problem,
especially pitted against low cattle
prices. Impeded groWing/fat
tening rates due to poor ventilation
is a problem. Feedlot operators
and their consignors have the
proverbial deck stacked against
than before the cattle are even put
on feed.
But there’s at least one feedlot
operator who thinks he’s got all
these problems licked, and he
answers how with just one word:
FermWay.
Dr. William Hackett, DVM, says
he’s developed a process by which
be can efficiently break down and
use the huge quantities of manure
produced at his 9,000-head
capacity Ohio Feedlot (the lot’s
name, as well as the state where
it’s located).
The process, which he calls
biofermentation, is a way of tur
ning manure and bedding
materials into FermWay, a sub
stance Hackett claims can be used
as a feed ration ingredient, a
bedding material, or fertilizer.
Hackett’s presently feeding it and
bedding his cattle with it.
nitrogen source for corn
developing a management
program for the efficient
agronomic use of poultry manure
in conventional and no-tillage com
production. The project was
supported in part by a grant from
Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.
(DPI).
Sims’ findings indicate that by
adopting the management prac
tices be used, farmers should be
able to optimize yields and
minimize N losses when using
poultry manure and so increase
their returns without sacrificing
yields. In the process, they would
maintain groundwater quality.
Sims reported on this research
during the national meeting of the
American Society of Agronomy
December 1-5 in Chicago.
His project compared the effects
of poultry manure and fertilizer N
applied at four rates in the
production of irrigated com, using
both conventional and no-tillage
methods. His findings suggest that
it is possible to attain equivalent
yields with poultry manure while
reducing nitrate leaching.
Since Delaware farmers no-till
much of their com acreage, Sims
looked closely at the effect of
poultry manure versus com
mercial fertilizer (ammonium
nitrate) on no-till yields. He found
manure ration
on
How does it work?
“We depend on the aerobic
bacteria,” says George
Berkhoffer, a technician at Ohio
Feedlot. According to Berkhoffer,
naturally occuring bacteria go into
action and cause stockpiled
manure and bedding to decompose
into a dry, crumbling, odor-free
product. They’ve been composting
up to 700 tons a week. And all they
add is air.
“We monitor it (the stored
manure) constantly, for airflow
and temperature,” adds
Berkhoffer. “We rototill it, then
put it through a spreader.”
The temperature in the 12
processing units used nears 180
degrees during the decomposition
process, thereby killing weed
seeds and pathogens. Moisture
levels, both before and during the
composting, are kept at 45 to 50
percent so that decomposition is
fast-four to seven days-and
disagreeable odors minimized.
Once they’ve broken down the
manure and sawdust-bedding
material into a substance
resembling garden compost, the
folks at Ohio Feedlot mix it with
corn gluten and feed up to an
averge of 7,000 head with it, in lieu
of silage. Gary Hummel manages
5 t i
*
I* c •
that when poultry manure was
used in a no-tillage system, the
three-year yield average was
about 80 percent of that obtained
with conventional tillage, though
no-till applied manure in some
cases gave greater yields. This
suggests that corn farmers should
encouter no major problems from
surface applications of poultry
manure.
The soil scientist found no
significant differences in early
whole plant N, ear leaf N or N
uptake when using poultry manure
instead of ammonium nitrate. In
fact, he found a close relationship
between ear leaf N from both
sources.
Inorganic nitrogen levels were
consistently higher in ammonium
nitrate treated plots at all sam
pling dates. Tillage methods had
no effect on soil N when poultry
manure was used, but no-till
treatments which received am
monium nitrate had greater levels
of inorganic N at the June and July
sampling dates. According to
Sims, nitrogen leached below 24
inches by June 4 may be
unavailable to com plants later in
the season, a fact which could
reduce yields. He found no ex
cessive levels of inorganic N in
plots receiving poultry manure at
any of the application rates used.
»I. .
)\ ■ !
Ohio Feedlot for Dr. Hackett, and
he’s sold cm their method and
choice of feed. Maybe because of
the gains they’re making with
composted manure/gluten
“Three-and-a-half pounds
average daily gain on steers,” he
relates. “Two-and three-quarters
to three pounds for heifers.”
The cattle come in weighing 65G
to 850 pounds. They’re pre
conditioned by Ohio Feedlot’s all
female crew (management
Biosecurity is a term which is'
frequently used in conversations or
discussions of poultry health.
Although the definition of
biosecurity may vary from person
to person, in general biosecurity is
a disease prevention program. It is
an active program consisting of
specific steps or actions taken to
prevent poultry flocks from being
exposed to diseases caused by
biological organisms. Poultry
diseases are not caused by spon
taneous generation; therefore one
step in disease control is to reduce
the risk of exposure.
The following are procedures
that the poultry producer should
follow to reduce the poultry
disease risk.
1. Screen wild birds out of all
poultry houses. Care must be taken
to use wire which will prevent wild
birds from gaining entry to the
building but not adversely affect
the ventilation.
2. Sweep up and dispose of
spilled feed at the feed bins. This
not only reduces birds on the farm,
but also reduces an attraction for
rats and mice.
3. Lock poultry houses and
secure premise entry gates. If the
drive to the poultry house does not
have an entry gate, evaluate the
installation of one to control
vehicle traffic.
4. Stop all service and delivery
personnel and visitors at entry
gates.
5. Restrict visitors. Permit only
essential personnel on your farm
and then control or monitor their
movements.
6. Require visitors to sign a
logbook indicating the date and
time of visit. A visitor should be
considered as anyone who is not a
believes women are better with
cattle), and then placed in pens
which make up the two groups of
four buildings connected with a
cross-alley.
These quarter-mile-length barns
were designed like the wings of an
airplane for better air qfrculation.
They were situated a particular
way and placed a certain distance
apart to permit maximum airflow
between pens. These factors,
combined with bedding made up of
the FermWay product plus bark
Manure is processed into a feed ration a
Penn State Extension Poultry Specialist
Poultry Farm Biosecurity
Forest
On Fowl
by
Forest Muir
member of the family or an em
ployee.
7. Allow only cleaned and
disinfected live-haul trucks and
crates on your premises.
8. Make sure that cars, farm
vechicles and equipment have
been cleaned and disinfected
before allowing them on your
farm.
9. Provide sanitized disposable
outerwear, headgear and rubber
slipover boots for 'essential,
authorized individuals who visit
your farm.
10. Use only service crews (feed
delivery, egg pick-up and other
operations) who follow strict
sanitary standards.
11. Wash and disinfect poultry
equipment, egg flats and related
items that come onto your farm.
12. No pet birds or chickens at
home should be a condition of
employment.
13. Remember that family
members can inadvertently come
in contact with other poultry or
wild birds. Therefore family
members should avoid wearing
street clothes into the poultry
house.
14. Family members who engage
in hunting activities should
prevent any contact between the
clothing used during hunting and
those worn in the poultry
operation.
Remember, the purpose of a
biosecurity program is to protect
your livelihood and investment.
You should not be intimidated if
this program causes some in
convenience for individuals.
Likewise you should not be
apologetic to or make exception for
individuals who are offended by
action you initiate to protect your
source of income.
and sawdust, result in good ven
tilation. Another problem solved.
Hummel says at Ohio Feedlot
they feed custom, primarily, and
they don’t charge a yardage fee.
Instead, they assess a $3 per head
handling fee, and then place a 10
percent mark-up on feed, as fed.
This brings feed costs to 48 cents to
52 cents per lb., which apparently
suits cattle consignors, as they’ve
been pretty well filling up Ohio’s
largest feedlot with cattle year
round.
io Feedlot.