Effects of chemical treatments on pH and bacterial population in poultry litter: a laboratory experiment.
1. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of three chemical treatments on pH and bacterial populations (total aerobic bacteria and gram-negative bacteria) in poultry litter under laboratory conditions. 2. Litter obtained from poultry houses was treated with three chemical treatments (alum, AlCl(3) and FeSO(4)) at the same concentration (8 g/100 g litter), while untreated litter served as a control. The study was conducted for 3 weeks. 3. All of the chemical treatments reduced total aerobic bacteria (22 to 87% of the untreated control) and gram-negative bacteria (63 to 99% of the untreated controls) populations and lowered litter pH values (5.95 to 6.64). However, a significant difference in gram-negative bacteria did not exist among chemical treatments at 0, 1 and 2 weeks. 4. These results suggest that the reduction in total aerobic bacteria and gram-negative bacteria populations is highly related to a decrease in litter pH, and acidifying treatment (alum, AlCl(3) and FeSO(4)) of poultry litter may serve as a means to help the reduction in pathogen populations and to improve economical benefits under commercial production conditions.
Choi
I H
IH
Probiotic Korea Inc., Daegu University, Gyong San, South Korea.
Kim
J N
JN
Kwon
Y M
YM
D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings / Q000592:standards*; D006799:Housing, Animal / Q000592:standards*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011200:Poultry
D000534:Alum Compounds; D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D002712:Chlorides; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; C041524:aluminum sulfate; C020748:ferrous sulfate; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride