Lignite reduces odour from broiler farms without reducing production performance

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Agricultural Science
• Animal Science

Background:

• Broiler farms generate significant spent litter, causing odour issues due to microbial decomposition.
• Lignite has demonstrated potential in reducing microbial activity, suggesting it could lower odour emissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate lignite's effectiveness in reducing odour emission rates (OER) from commercial broiler housing.
• To assess the impact of lignite on odour dispersion and compliance with Australian regulatory standards.
• To determine lignite's effect on broiler production performance metrics.

Main Methods:

• Investigated lignite's effect on OER using dynamic olfactometry over two grow-out cycles.
• Applied lignite at 3.5 kg/m² in commercial broiler housing in Victoria, Australia.
• Utilized the AERMOD air quality dispersion model to predict odour dispersion and concentrations.

Main Results:

• Lignite application reduced OER by an average of 56% over both grow-out periods.
• The reduction in OER decreased required separation distances by 44-53% across various Australian states.
• No significant differences were observed in feed conversion ratio, live weight, or mortality.

Conclusions:

• Lignite effectively reduces odour emissions from commercial broiler housing.
• Lignite application aids in meeting regulatory odour criteria by reducing necessary separation distances.
• Lignite can be utilized to mitigate odour pollution without negatively affecting broiler production performance.