In-house windrow composting of poultry litter is rapidly gaining popularity among poultry producers and integrators seeking a competitive edge. This method offers a range of benefits for a relatively small investment in labor and fuel.
Improved Bird Health and Productivity
Composting poultry litter can significantly enhance bird health and productivity. Some key benefits include:
- Reduced Mortality Rates: By reducing pathogen levels, composting helps minimize bird mortality.
- Increased Bird Weights: Composting improves the overall health of the birds, leading to better growth rates and increased weights.
- Improved Feed Conversions: Healthier birds utilize feed more efficiently, resulting in improved feed conversion ratios.
- Control of Diseases: Composting helps control diseases such as LT, dermatitis, enteritis, and coccidiosis by reducing pathogen loads in the litter.
Environmental Advantages
Beyond the benefits to bird health and production, in-house windrow composting also offers several environmental advantages.
- Reduced Risk of Litter Spills: Composting litter within the poultry house reduces the need to transport it, minimizing the risk of accidental spills during transportation.
- Safer Land Application: Composting significantly reduces pathogen and bacteria levels in the litter, making it safer for land application as fertilizer.
- Reduced Runoff Concerns: The composting process converts nutrients into more stable forms that are less water-soluble, reducing the risk of nutrient runoff into water sources.
The Composting Process
The windrow composting process involves several steps:
- Windrowing: Immediately after removing the birds, the litter and cake (excluding crust outs) are formed into long windrows along the length of the poultry house.
- Initial Heating: The windrows are left undisturbed for 1-4 days to allow the temperature to reach 130+ degrees Fahrenheit. This initial heating pasteurizes about 50% of the litter.
- Aeration: To expose more of the litter to the heat, the windrows are aerated, turning the material and exposing the floor underneath for drying. Aeration also facilitates the volatilization of ammonia and moisture and further reduces bacteria, pathogens, and insects.
- Lay-out Time: A minimum of 7 days of lay-out time is recommended for effective composting, with longer periods providing additional benefits.
- Spreading: Once composting is complete, the aerator can be used to spread the processed litter and prepare the floor for the next flock.
The entire process, from windrowing to spreading, requires an average of 4-6 hours of labor per house, depending on the number of times the windrows are aerated.
By adopting in-house windrow composting, poultry producers can reap significant rewards in terms of improved bird health, productivity, and environmental sustainability.
