Nitro-treatment of composted poultry litter; effects on Salmonella, E. coli and nitrogen metabolism

Poultry litter is a potentially valuable crude protein feedstuff for ruminants but must be treated to kill pathogens before being fed. Composting kills pathogens but risks losses of nitrogen due to volatilization or leaching as ammonia. Treatment of poultry litter with ethyl nitroacetate, 3-nitro-1-propionate, ethyl 2-nitropropionate (at 27 µmol/g), decreased numbers of experimentally-inoculated Salmonella Typhimurium (>1.0 log₁₀ compared to controls, 4.2 ± 0.2 log₁₀ CFU/g) but not endogenous Escherichia coli early during simulated composting. By day 9 of simulated composting, Salmonella and E. coli were decreased to non-detectable levels regardless of treatment. Some nitro-treatments preserved uric acid and prevented ammonia accumulation, with 18% more uric acid remaining and 17-24% less ammonia accumulating in some nitro-treated litter than in untreated litter (18.1 ± 3.8 µmol/g and 3.4 ± 1.4 µmol/g, respectively). Results indicate that nitro-treatment may help preserve uric acid in composted litter while aiding Salmonella control.