The poultry market is predicted to increase by 17.8 % by 2030, with poultry meat consisting of 41 % of the worldwide meat market (FAO, 2023). The demand for poultry is pushed by its affordability and dietary content material materials (FAO, 2023). The USA produces most likely essentially the most poultry merchandise worldwide, with broiler (meat rooster) manufacturing consisting of 67 % of complete poultry product sales (USDA, 2023). As a result of rising demand, broiler producers ought to implement practices to boost effectivity and hen productiveness whereas meeting hen welfare and sustainability necessities.
Broiler farms may embrace quite a few houses with flocks ranging from 23,000 birds per dwelling to 56,000 in larger facilities (ACES, 2022, MSDAC, 2023). Birds are grown on a substrate often called litter, which is a heterogeneous mixture of bedding supplies (picket shavings, sawdust, rice hulls), excreta, spilled feed, wasted water, and feathers. Birds are concerned with litter all by way of the grow-out cycle, and litter top quality has a substantial have an effect on on effectivity and welfare (Nagaraj et al., 2007). Poor litter conditions cease broilers from reaching their genetic potential, and eventually set off monetary losses (Ritz et al., 2017). Regular excreta deposition into the litter contributes to extreme moisture, ammonia (NH3) concentrations, and microbial plenty, all of which negatively have an effect on hen properly being (Tabler et al., 2021). Extreme pH and moisture promote the period of ammonia gasoline, which can set off irritation to birds’ pores and pores and skin, eyes, and lungs, and cut back growth cost (Martland, 1984; Nairn and Watson, 1972; Nagaraj et al., 2007). In addition to, further moisture provides favorable environments for pathogens and NH3-generating micro organism to develop (Ritz et al., 2017). A litter moisture differ of 20-25 % is ideal and may mitigate further NH3 volatilization and microbial growth (Ritz et al., 2017). NH3 ranges should not exceed 25 ppm on account of it negatively impacts hen and worker properly being (Miles et al., 2004; Sheikh et al., 2018).
Rooster toes (paws) are a big export to overseas markets. Paws ship in further earnings than rooster legs, falling merely behind breast and wing earnings (USPEEC, 2009). If NH3 and moisture are normally not managed efficiently, it may change into a menace to paw top quality, eye properly being, and the respiratory system. Furthermore, footpad lesions allow micro organism from the litter to infect the hen, which might result in weight discount, stunted growth, and lack of life (Tabler et al., 2022). Footpad top quality is used as a criterion to audit hen welfare in america and Europe (Martland, 1985; Mayne, 2005).
One approach to mitigate NH3 is to make use of litter amendments. Usually used amendments embody acidifiers, equal to Poultry Litter Remedy® (PLT). PLT consists of sodium bisulfate and reduces NH3 volatilization by way of lowering litter pH. Litter pH normally ranges between a pH of seven.5 to eight.5, and NH3 is present in a gaseous half at a pH > 8.0 (Ritz et al., 2017). Reducing NH3 volatilization moreover sequesters nitrogen inside the litter as non-volatile ammonium (NH4+), which is able to improve its price as a fertilizer and reduces the discharge of air air pollution. Nonetheless, analysis level out that litter acidifying brokers, along with PLT, can lose effectiveness after 14 to 21 days (Ritz et al., 2017; Linhoss et al. 2019). PLT would not impact litter moisture, and further moisture can contribute to elevated NH3 volatilization (Terzich et al., 1998).