An industry survey on litter management and re-use practices of Australian meat chicken growers
C.-M. Pepper
A * and M. W. Dunlop A
A Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Government, 203 Tor Street, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.
Animal Production Science 62(5) 401-408 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN21222
Submitted: 22 April 2021 Accepted: 8 November 2021 Published: 21 December 2021
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employers(s)) and The State of Queensland (through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Litter management is important when rearing meat chickens because litter conditions can affect production as well as chicken health and wellbeing. An industry survey was conducted to gather information from Australian meat chicken growers and integrators about their litter management practices, providing an opportunity to share their knowledge, experiences and perceptions about litter re-use and litter turning. This information was essential for researchers investigating litter management practices because it provided a better understanding about litter preparation and shed configuration to ensure that representative and timely data could be collected. Eighty-four survey responses were received from all major growing regions across Australia. The survey closely reflected the proportions of conventional and free-range production systems of Australian chicken meat industry, with approximately 21% of survey responses representing free range and 80% representing conventional barn housing. Concerning litter management practices, the survey showed that litter re-use is limited (32% of responses), but litter turning is a widespread practice (89% of responses). Litter turning is used to reduce the occurrence of caked litter and to keep litter ‘working’. Maintaining ‘dry and friable’ litter has been shown to reduce the risk of health issues and allows chickens to display behaviours, such as dustbathing, which are believed to be associated with improved welfare. Comments from the survey indicated that litter turning alone does not achieve dry and friable litter, and that proactive ventilation, heater and drinker management are essential. Growers also explained that litter turning is not without its challenges, and can potentially contribute to spikes of dust, ammonia and/or odour. They also expressed concerns relating to operating machinery in poultry houses, particularly when there is high liveweight density. When growers were asked about litter re-use, several reported that it has benefits in reducing production costs and improving moisture holding capacity, but concerns were also expressed about risks relating to ammonia, litter beetle control and disease transmission. Researchers will be able to use these survey results to gain an insight into practices, perceptions, constraints, and challenges relating to the Australian chicken meat industry and ensure that future research relating to litter management reflects local conditions and practices.
Keywords: broiler, industry survey, litter management, litter re-use, litter tilling, litter turning, poultry, poultry litter.
References
ACMF (Australian Chicken Meat Federation lnc.) (2021) Structure of the industry. Available at https://www.chicken.org.au/structure-of-the-industry/. [Verified 19 March 2021]AHA (2017) Australian animal welfare standards and guidelines for poultry – version: proposed draft - public consultation Nov 2017. (Animal Health Australia: Braddon, ACT, Australia). Available at http://www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au/poultry/. [Verified 20 July 2021]
Bernhart M, Fasina OO (2009) Moisture effect on the storage, handling and flow properties of poultry litter. Waste Management 29, 1392–1398.
| Moisture effect on the storage, handling and flow properties of poultry litter.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 18990556PubMed |
Campbell J, Brothers D, Donald J (2017) Poultry house ventilation guide: a practical guide for managing risk in poultry production. (American Association of Avian Pathologists: Jacksonville, FL, USA). Available at https://www.aaap.info/practical-guide-2nd-edition. [Verified 20 July 2021]
Cockerill SA, Gerber PF, Walkden-Brown SW, Dunlop MW (2020) Suitability of litter amendments for the Australian chicken meat industry. Animal Production Science 60, 1469–1481.
| Suitability of litter amendments for the Australian chicken meat industry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Collett SR (2012) Nutrition and wet litter problems in poultry. Animal Feed Science and Technology 173, 65–75.
| Nutrition and wet litter problems in poultry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
CSIRO (2002) ‘Primary industries report series - model code of practrice for the welfare of animals: domestic poultry.’, 4th edn. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia). Available at https://www.publish.csiro.au/ebook/download/pdf/3451. [Accessed 24 November 2020]
Dezat E, Gohier-Austerlitz D (2020) Gestion des litieres et du fumier chez les aviculteurs Bretons – Résultats d’une enquête réalisée auprès des éleveurs de poulets et dindes standard [Management of litters and manure in Breton poultry farmers results of a survey of standard chicken and turkey farmers]. Available at http://www.bretagne.synagri.com/ca1/synagri.nsf/pages/gestion-des-litieres-en-aviculture. [Verified 20 July 2021]
Dunlop MW (2009) Control of odour and dust from chicken sheds – review of ‘add-on’ technologies. (RIRDC: Canberra, ACT, Australia). Available at https://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/control-of-odour-and-dust-from-chicken-sheds-review-of-add-on-technologies/. [Verified March 2009]
Dunlop MW, Moss AF, Groves PJ, Wilkinson SJ, Stuetz RM, Selle PH (2016) The multidimensional causal factors of ‘wet litter’ in chicken-meat production. Science of the Total Environment 562, 766–776.
| The multidimensional causal factors of ‘wet litter’ in chicken-meat production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dunlop M, Cockerill S, Gerber P, Walkden-Brown S, Chinivasagam N (2020) Suitability of litter amendments for the Australian chicken meat industry. (AgriFutures Australia: Canberra, ACT, Australia). Available at https://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/suitability-of-litter-amendments-for-the-australian-chicken-meat-industry/. [Verified March 2020]
Estellés F, Cambra-López M, Adell E, Borrás M, Jiménez-Belenguer AI, Vazquez S, Olivas I, Villagrá A, Calvet S (2011) Volteo de la cama durante el ciclo productivo de pollos de engorde. Parte II: Evaluación ambiental [Litter turning during the production cycle of broiler chickens. Part II: Environmental Assessment]. In ‘VI Congreso Iberico de Agrolngenieria (VI Iberian Agro-Engineers Congress), Universidade de Evora, Portugal, 5–7 September 2011’.
FREPA (2020) FREPA Chicken meat standard. Available at https://frepa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FREPA-Chicken-Meat-Standard-Sept-2020.pdf. [Verified 24 November 2020]
Gerber PF, Gould N, McGahan E (2020) Potential contaminants and hazards in alternative chicken bedding materials and proposed guidance levels: a review. Poultry Science 99, 6664–6684.
| Potential contaminants and hazards in alternative chicken bedding materials and proposed guidance levels: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 33248583PubMed |
Jeppsson K-H, Olsson A-C, Nasirahmadi A (2021) Increased air velocity in the lying area improves pen hygiene and reduces ammonia emissions from houses with partly slatted pens for growing/finishing pigs. Livestock Science 251, 104607
| Increased air velocity in the lying area improves pen hygiene and reduces ammonia emissions from houses with partly slatted pens for growing/finishing pigs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lambkin TA, Kopittke RA, Rice SJ, Bartlett JS, Zalucki MP (2007) Distributions of lesser mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in litter of a compacted earth floor broiler house in subtropical Queensland, Australia. Journal of Economic Entomology 100, 1136–1146.
| Distributions of lesser mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in litter of a compacted earth floor broiler house in subtropical Queensland, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17849862PubMed |
Lister SA (2009) Effects of litter moisture on performance, health and welfare. In ‘Beekbergen’. pp. 33–39. (World Poultry Science Association (WPSA))
Malone G, Marsh Johnson T (2017) Litter management for the 21st century: a practical guide for managing risk in poultry production. (Ed RL Owen) (American Association of Avian Pathologists: Jacksonville, FL, USA). Available at https://www.aaap.info/practical-guide-2nd-edition. [Verified 20 July 2021]
McGahan E, Gould N, Dunlop M (2021) Best practice litter management manual for Australian meat chicken farms: covering fresh, in-shed, reuse and spent litter management. (AgriFutures Australia). Available at https://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/final-report-best-practice-litter-management-manual-for-australian-meat-chicken-farms/ [Verified 14 July 2021]
Moss AF, Selle PH (2016) Causal factors of ‘wet litter’ in chicken-meat production. Available at https://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/causal-factors-of-wet-litter-in-chicken-meat-production/. [Verified 17 August 2020]
Núñez Casas JJ (2011) ‘Litter aeration during the rearing cycle of broilers: productive and welfare implications.’ (Universitario en Producción Animal)
Payne CG (1967) Factors influencing environmental temperature and humidity in intensive broiler houses during the post-brooding period. British Poultry Science 8, 101–118.
| Factors influencing environmental temperature and humidity in intensive broiler houses during the post-brooding period.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pepper C-M, Dunlop MW (2021) Review of litter turning during a grow-out as a litter management practice to achieve dry and friable litter in poultry production. Poultry Science 100, 101071
| Review of litter turning during a grow-out as a litter management practice to achieve dry and friable litter in poultry production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 33848927PubMed |
RSPCA Australia (2020) RSPCA Approved farming scheme standards: meat chickens (March 2020). (RSPCA Australia: Canberra, ACT, Australia). Available at https://rspcaapproved.org.au/join/#standards. [Verified 24 April 2020]
Runge GA, Blackall PJ, Casey KD (2007) Chicken litter: issues associated with sourcing and use. (RIRDC: Canberra, ACT, Australia). Available at https://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/chicken-litter-issues-associated-with-sourcing-and-use/. [Verified 16 January 2018]
Scott AB, Singh M, Toribio J-A, Hernandez-Jover M, Barnes B, Glass K, Moloney B, Lee A, Groves P (2017) Comparisons of management practices and farm design on Australian commercial layer and meat chicken farms: cage, barn and free range. PLoS ONE 12, e0188505
Taira K, Nagai T, Obi T, Takase K (2014) Effect of litter moisture on the development of footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 76, 583–586.
| Effect of litter moisture on the development of footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van Staaveren N, Leishman EM, Adams SM, Wood BJ, Harlander-Matauschek A, Baes CF (2020) Housing and management of turkey flocks in Canada. Animals 10, 1159
Villagrá A, Nunez JJ, Olivas I, Borrás M, Calvet S, Cambra-López M, Adell E, Estellés F (2011) Volteo de la cama durante el ciclo productivo de pollos de engorde. Parte I: implicaciones productivas (Litter turning during the production cycle of broiler chickens. Part I: productive implications). In ‘VI Congreso Iberico de Agrolngenieria [VI Iberian Agro-Engineers Congress], Universidade de Evora, Portugal, 5–7 September 2011’.
Watson K, Wiedemann SG (2019) Review of fresh litter supply, management and spent litter utilisation. Vol. Project No. PRJ-010655. (AgriFutures Australia: Canberra, ACT, Australia). Available at https://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/review-of-fresh-litter-supply-management-and-spent-litter-utilisation/. [Verified 6 August 2019]
