Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The Poop on Poultry

Poultry Litter- Big Time
When a watershed organization talks about turkey and chicken raising operations it usually isn't good.  Here is a good news story from David Casaletto of Ozarks Water Watch, writing in the latest Ozark Waters newsletter.

He describes brainstorming in the past about how poultry "waste" could be packaged and shipped to those who could use it in agriculture.  Now the White River Fertilizer Supply has just such a product.
They take broiler and turkey litter, compress it into a 4' x 4' bale that is plastic wrapped and then transport it by flatbed trucks where ever it is needed. Not only do they sell the baled litter but also have the equipment to move and spread it. It seems baled litter has many advantages over raw litter:
  • Easy to transport and quick to unload
  • Can be stored on-site
  • No odor problems and no gas emission from decomposition
  • No leaching solves water quality issues
  • 99% E coli kill rate after 110 hours of being baled (according to studies)
  • Can be stored long term - no need for storage shed
Ozark Water Newsletter
There are even special bale spreaders to simplify spreading it on the fields. The video from White River Fertilizer Supply is interesting although I still wouldn't want to be the guy opening the bales from underneath. Making this a reliable and economical product can go a long way to reducing pollution in the Ozarks.