Impact of Long‐Term Land Application of Broiler Litter on Environmentally Related Soil Properties

Abstract

The largest portion of Alabama's rapidly growing poultry industry is geographically concentrated in the Sand Mountain region of northern Alabama. The result is that large amounts of waste are applied to relatively small areas of agricultural soils. A study was conducted to determine the effects of long‐term broiler waste (litter) application on environmentally related soil conditions in the region. The region has an average annual rainfall of 1325 mm, which is evenly distributed throughout the year, a thermic temperature regime, and soils in the region are of the Ultisol order. In each of four major broiler‐producing counties, three pairs of sites consisting of long‐term (15–28 yr) littered and nonlittered fields on matching soil series and maintained under perennial tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were sampled. Soil cores were taken to 3 m or lithic contact and depth‐incremented samples (0–15, 15–30, and each subsequent 30‐cm interval) were analyzed for organic C, total N, NO3‐N, pH, electrical conductivity, and acid‐extractable P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, and Zn. Litter application increased organic C and total N to depths of 15 and 30 cm, respectively, as compared with nonlittered soils, whereas pH was 0.5 units higher to a depth of 60 cm under littered soils. Significant accumulation of NO3‐N was found in littered soils to or near bedrock. Extractable P concentrations in littered soils were more than six times greater than in nonlittered soils to a depth of 60 cm. Elevated levels of extractable K, Ca, and Mg to depths greater than 60 cm also were found as a result of long‐term litter use. Extractable Cu and Zn had accumulated in littered soils to a depth of 45 cm. These findings indicate that long‐term land application of broiler litter, at present rates, has altered soil chemical conditions and has created a potential for adverse environmental impacts in the Sand Mountain region of Alabama.

Phosphorus transformation in poultry litter and litter-treated Oxisol of Brazil assessed by 31P-NMR and wet chemical fractionation

“…The total P content in the poultry litter ranged from 13.7 to 18.1 g kg -1 , with a higher P content and consequently lower N/P ratio in the CC than in the other litters. The average C and N content of the litters were 446 and 33 g kg -1 , respectively, similar to the values reported elsewhere (Kingery et al, 1994;Williams et al, 1999;Sauer et al, 2000), except that the P content was considerably higher in our study. There was no significant difference in the total C, N and C/N ratio among the litters.…”

“…The total production of swine and poultry manure in Brazil was estimated at 65 million tons, based on the number of swine and poultry animals in 2003 (IBGE, 2003), and since then this number has increased tremendously. This material generally contains high levels of plant macronutrients, ranging from 39 to 49 g kg -1 N, 3.6 to 9.9 g kg -1 P, and 10 to 20 g kg -1 K (Kingery et al, 1994;Williams et al, 1999;Sauer et al, 2000). Poultry litters in the Zona da Mata in Minas Gerais contain on average 34 g kg -1 N, 16 g kg -1 R. Bras.…”

“…Most agricultural soils in Brazil are Oxisols, which are rich in Al and Fe oxides, capable of sorbing large amounts of P (Fontes & Weed, 1991;Novais & Smyth, 1999). Repeated applications of poultry litter, however, can lead to N and P accumulation and to elevated levels of one or both nutrients in surface runoff and subsurface water (McLeod & Hegg, 1984;Sharpley & Menzel, 1987;Kingery et al, 1994). Moreover, the amount of P loss that would cause water quality problems is usually very low, compared to the amounts required by crops or contained in typical manure or fertilizer P applications.…”

Correlation of Quantitative PCR for a Poultry-Specific Brevibacterium Marker Gene with Bacterial and Chemical Indicators of Water Pollution in a Watershed Impacted by Land Application of Poultry Litter

“…As, Cu, Zn, and P in soil or litter samples and unfiltered (total suspended and dissolved inorganics) or filtered (dissolved inorganics) water samples were determined by EPA SW-846 method 6010C (59) or method 6020A (55) and EPA method 365.1 (53) or 365.2 (54). As, Cu, Zn, and P were evaluated in this study because they are added to poultry feed, are measurable in poultry litter (19), and have been observed to be elevated in soils to which litter has been applied (23). Total dissolved solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS) were analyzed by EPA methods 160.1 and 106.2 (56).…”

Atributos químicos do solo sob plantio direto afetado por sistemas de culturas e fontes de adubação

“…Sabe-se que o excesso de íons H + e ânions NO 3 -na solução do solo aumentam a lixiviação de bases, na forma de sais de Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ e K + no solo (Grove, 1986), incrementando os teores destes elementos em profundidade. A adição de resíduos orgânicos na forma de restos de culturas ou esterco de animal tem propiciado, em diversas condições, maior movimentação de cátions em profundidade (Kingery et al, 1994).…”