Poultry Manure Composting

 

Currently, in various Central American Poultry Farms, the manure is being composted for fertilizer.  The method varies slightly, but basically the manure is allowed to pile up and degrade over 9 to 12 months.  Once the odor has subsided, the manure is dried and sold as fertilizer.

Treatment Goal:

Reduce Odor, as there are numerous complaints from adjacent properties.

Speed up the Composting, and as a side benefit improve the Fertilizer-Value.

Typically,AquaClean can reduce the time required to stabilize a compost pile by 40 to50%.  Fertilizer value will also be improved; with 30 to 50% better crop yields.

For Dry Methods, we recommend that the ACF-32 be diluted 1:50 with water and sprayed at the rate of 1 Gallon of diluted mixture  for every 20 sq. ft., which is about the same as 1 gallon per 2 m2, to a moisture depth of approximately one inch.

 

Treatment Method:

Heap or Pile Method -                In this case, ACF should be sprayed on the pile as it is created, in order to get more even distribution. This is a slower method, unless the client periodically turns the pile, and if they do...you should re-spray the Piles as they are being turned.

Windrow-         If the Piles are mechanically turned, then the AquaClean dilution should be sprayed on the freshly turned Piles, which will significantly speed up the stabilization. This mixes the compost, aerates and allows for settling, and ACF-32 can be applied when the compost is being moved or agitated.

Lagoon or Holding Tanks -         Lagoon Systems creates a liquid-slurry that can be sprayed on fields for land-farming.  The dosage and treatment is the same as Swine Lagoons, and is very effective at creating Value-Added Fertilizer, but may not be practical if Spray Trucks or Irrigation Systems are not available.

General Comments:

The best way to determine that the manure is stabilized is the odor.  Poultry manure has very high nitrogen content.  So while the manure will never smell like perfume, in general the odor will be significantly reduced.  ACF-32 treatment will produce an odor that is more earthy, not repugnant or putrid, and the ammonia odor be eliminated.

The general goal for Composting is to get the pile to Temperature (60 to 75 C / 140to 175 F), which then leads to Volume Reduction as the organics degrade and gas-off, leaving the hard to degrade Carbons and Nutrients (N, P, and Micros)...eventually reaching a stage of Stabilization.

System effectiveness is measured in three manners...A) one looks to speed up getting to Temperature...B) then shortening the time it takes for Volume Reduction...C)and finally, evaluating the Quality of the Stabilized Material Fertilizer.

Assuch, Heap Method can take many months...up to a year, depending on the composition.  For instance, if you only piled up grass clippings...the reaction would end up with a slimy, moist gooey mess due to lack of air.  Therefore they usually bulk-up the pile with coarse material (like wood chips) to allow air circulation.

Wind Row method takes 45 to 90 days, again depending on the composition of the pile...but also how often the piles are turned.

The issue of quality is similar to ACF's effect on Swine Lagoons...and treatment with ACF-32 results in a better fertilizer.

Central American Case Example

Overview of the Poultry Farm

Many barns are up to 150Meters long and 14 Meters wide, or some 2,100 Square Meters...with Manure Piles underneath each barn...building to some 40 to 50 centimeters (1.5 feet) deep.  The chicken manure is allowed to create it sown heap underneath the barn floors, which are 3 Meters above the ground floor,which make them accessible for Front-Loaders and Manual Labor.

These facilities are for Layers...and the manure creates a tremendous odor problem...and composting is slow to stabilize (degrade).  The piles are typically not turned for aeration...and therefore they are removed and dried for fertilizer about every12 to 16 months.

As a general"Poultry Treatment Guide-Line", we recommend applying ACF-32 diluted1:50 with water...and then applied 1 Diluted Gallon to 20 Square Feet...or approximately every 2 Square Meters.  One treatment for these barns would need to cover 2,100 Square Meters...at 1 Gallon of ACF-32 equaling 50 Gallons of Treatment Dilution...or, in this case, some 21Gallons of ACF-32 per treatment.  We would treat the piles as they built up...about every 4 to 6 inches.  Once the odor comes under control...the piles can be checked to determine when to remove and dry for sale...probably every 3 to 4 months.

If we are turn and treat the existing pile...then you will probably need to apply at a lower dosage rate...but apply more Diluted Gallons to assure good coverage within the existing piles as they are turned. As such, the dilution ratio could be increase to 1:75 due to the extra coverage spraying.

Bulk...such as hay or wood chips could be mixed into the piles to increase aeration...and speed up the composting.

Obviously, we can treat barns that have had their piles removed...just spray the ACF-32 Dilution on the piles as they build up.  Based on odor, you will be able to determine when the piles are ready to be dried and sold...but this will be accomplished in less time, some 50 to 60 percent shorter time frame.

For existing piles,it would be better to turn the manure and apply the ACF-32 Dilution as the piles are turned.  Once completed, then just spray the outer surface as it builds up.  Once these barns have their manure removed, dried and sold...the next batch will not require turning.

If the time frame become an important issue...then the piles should be turned periodically....and treated like Wind Rows...or add Bulk Material (Hay or Wood Chips) either method will help speed up the composting process.