title: An assessment of the effectiveness of four in-house treatments to reduce the bacterial levels in poultry litter.
abstract: Although the use of quicklime (CaO) and tarping are common handling practices aimed at the reuse of litter in the Brazilian poultry industry, few scientific studies have proven the effectiveness of these methods in reducing the pathogenic microbial load during fallowing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the following litter treatments: T1 no treatment (control), T2 quicklime (300 g m(-2)), T3 tarping, T4 tarping+quicklime (300 g m(-2)). The litter samples were collected on day zero and on the sixth and twelfth days after the start of fallowing. The use of quicklime alone or quicklime+tarping was more effective (P<0.05) in reducing bacteria when compared to litter tarping. Except for the control group, all treatments resulted in a more than 84% reduction in the count of colony-forming units (CFUs) at the end of fallowing. It is concluded that the use of quicklime alone in practical terms is the most indicated treatment for the reduction of the bacterial load of poultry litter.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pelotas, Faculty of Agronomy Eliseu Maciel, Department of Animal Science, 354, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pelotas, Biotechnology Center, 354, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pelotas, Faculty of Agronomy Eliseu Maciel, Department of Animal Science, 354, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pelotas, Biotechnology Center, 354, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heres
authors.affiliation: Brasil Foods S/A. Av Presidente Vargas, 1040, 99150 000, Marau, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dai Prá
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pelotas, Faculty of Agronomy Eliseu Maciel, Department of Animal Science, 354, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pelotas, Faculty of Agronomy Eliseu Maciel, Department of Animal Science, 354, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil roll98@ufpel.edu.br.
authors.forename: V F B
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Roll
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002645:Chickens; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006799:Housing, Animal; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D059027:Recycling
chemical_list: D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004202:Disinfectants; D010087:Oxides; C016538:lime
keywords: bacteria; lime; litter; reuse.; tarping