Runoff Water Quality from Poultry Litter‐Treated Pasture and Forest Sites

Abstract

In the Ozark Highlands of the USA (36–38° N, 91–95° W), annual application of poultry litter to pasture land is a routine waste management practice. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of site characteristics and poultry litter application on runoff and nutrient transport from grazed pasture and forest sites at different landscape positions. Sixteen pairs of 1 × 2 m plots were established on Nixa (loamy‐skeletal, siliceous, active, mesic Glossic Fragiudults) and Clarksville (loamy‐skeletal, siliceous, semiactive, mesic Typic Paleudults) cherty silt loams. One plot of each pair received 4.5 Mg ha−1 of poultry litter. Rainfall was simulated at 75 mm h−1 for 1 h (25‐yr return period storm) one month after litter application. A composite runoff sample was analyzed for dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), total phosphorus (TP), ammonia N (NH3‐N), nitrate N (NO3‐N), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and total suspended solids (TSS). Poultry litter‐treated plots had consistently higher concentrations of all water quality parameters tested compared to untreated plots. Concentration of DRP in runoff from untreated plots was linearly correlated with three soil P tests (0.35 < r2 < 0.85). Soil P on litter‐treated plots had little effect on runoff DRP, which averaged 2.20 mg L−1. High variation in runoff resulted in only NO3‐N showing significantly greater losses due to poultry litter treatment at two pasture sites. Results indicate that variation in runoff has a significant effect on nutrient transport from grazed pastures receiving poultry litter.

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.…”

Effects of Poultry Manure Application on Phosphorus in Soil and Tile Drain Water Under a Corn-Soybean Rotation

“…Several studies have investigated the relationship between manure application and P concentrations in surface runoff Shreve et al, 1995;Sauer et al, 2000;Wood et al, 1999).…”

Grazing Management Effects on Sediment and Phosphorus in Surface Runoff

“…Previous research has suggested that concentrations of total P in runoff are highly correlated with plant-available P in the surface soil (Sharpley 1995;Pote et al 1996;Sauer et al 2000). In the current study, the relationships were statistically significant, but weak, regardless of grazing treatment or grazing year (Fig.…”