Composting poultry carcasses is a common way for turkey and broiler operators to manage bird mortalities. However, managers of poultry laying operations face their own set of challenges. In turkey and broiler operations, litter is a primary and convenient ingredient in the composting recipe. In laying operations, birds are maintained in cages, rather than reared on the floor. Therefore, no litter is available for the composting process. This publication describes a cooperative field research project between MU and Agri-Foods, Hawk Point, Mo. The purpose of the project was to investigate the feasibility of composting bird mortalities in a typical layer operation

Buchholz, Daryl

DeFelice, Karen

Wollenhaupt, Nyle

University of Missouri: MOspace

Water n Quality Published by University Extension, University of Missouri-System Focus Area Nutrients and Bacterial Wastes Composting Layer Mortalities Agri-Foods Composter Charles Fulhage, Extension Agricultural Engineer, University of Missouri Joe Vandepopuliere, Professor, Animal Science, University of Missouri Jess Lyons, Research Specialist, Animal Science, University of Missouri Aerial view of the Agri-Foods composter, near Hawk Point, Mo. The composter provides successful layer mortality management in both winter and summer. Composting poultry carcasses is a common way University of Missouri and Agri-Foods, Hawk Point, for turkey and broiler operators to manage bird mor­ Mo. The purpose of the project was to investigate the talities. However, managers of poultry laying opera­ feasibility of composting bird mortalities in a typical tions face their own set of challenges. In turkey and layer operation. See MU Publication WQ 205 for more broiler operations, litter is a primary, and convenient detailed information on composting mortalities. ingredient in the composting recipe. In laying opera­tions, birds are maintained in cages, rather than Production facilities reared on the floor. Therefore, no litter is available for the composting process. This publication describes a The Agri-Foods layer operation consists of 10 cooperative field research project between the buildings, each housing about 50,000 layers. Mortality WQ211 Printed with soy ink on recycled paper A skid steer loader is used to move material in the Agri-Foods composter. (front view of composter). Table 1.	 Ingredient ratios using straw and caged layer manure. Ingredient	 Parts by Weight* Caged layer manure 1 Hen carcasses 1 Straw or fescue hay 0.25 *Ingredients should be provided in this ratio within each repeat­ed layer in the primary bin Table 2.	 Ingredient ratios using recycled compost to replace caged layer waste. Ingredient	 Parts by Weight* Hen carcasses 1 Recycled compost 1.5 Water 0.25 *Ingredients should be provided in this ratio within each repeated layer in the primary bin averages about 0.75 percent per month, with a 3­pound-average bird weight. Daily carcass weight under these conditions is about 375 pounds. Conventional· composter design suggests providing 1 cubic foot of primary and secondary composting vol­ume per pound of daily mortality, with an added safety factor of 2.5 to allow for periods of unusually high mortality because of conditions such as heat stress. These design factors indicate primary and sec­ondary composting volumes of 937.5 cubic feet for the Agri-Foods facility. Composter Agri-Foods' compost handling equipment includ­ed a skid-steer loader. The bucket size on this loader suggested a minimum composting bin width of 7.5 feet. Primary composting bins were sized at 7.5 feet wide by 6 feet deep by 5 feet high. These dimensions resulted in a volume of 225 cubic feet per bin, and four bins were constructed to provide required pri­mary composting volume. Secondary composting bins were constructed 10 feet wide by 10 feet deep by 5-feet high, with a volume of 500 cubic feet per bin. Four secondary bins were built, for a total of 2,000 cubic feet of secondary composting volume. Extra Page 2	 WQ211 20' .....-----~--70'----+------~ EXISTING STORAGE BUILDING WALL 6" CONCRETE FLOOR Table 3. Analyses of finished compost. Fertilizer nutrient Dry matter, 0/0 61.4 Nitrogen, Ib/ton 64.3 Crude protein, 0/0 20.0 P20S' Ib/ton 69.8 K20 ,lb/ton 12.1 secondary volume was provided so that compost could be stored for longer periods in the facility, and to provide storage for ingredients such as straw. Figures 1, 2, and 3 show details of composter con­struction. Composting trials The primary objective of the Agri-Foods project was to evaluate the effectiveness of various compost­ing recipes. Wheat straw and fescue hay were used as a carbon source. Also, raw cage layer manure served as a nitrogen and moisture source. Later, a new recipe using finished compost in place of the carbon source (straw), and raw caged layer manure was tried. Using the recycled finished compost, the primary composting bins reduced fly problems and eased handling because the finished compost was already on-site and does not have to be collected from the layer buildings. Tables 1 and 2 show the ratios of ingredients used in the composting trials. These ingredient ratios resulted in composting temperatures in the 140 to 160 degree F range in both primary and secondary bins, and finished compost was a dark, dry material with a slight musty odor and very little evidence of feathers or bone. The actual weight of ingredient used in each 4" X 6" TREATED POSTS 4" X 6" TREATED POSTS 20' HIGH, TYP. 16.75' HIGH, TYP. 6" X 6" TREATED POSTS 13.5' HIGH, TYP. Figure 1. Plan view of Agri-Foods composter. EXISTING STORAGE BUILDING T6'---+1/6"x6" TREATED POST 13' 6" 2" X 8" TREATED T 6" X 6" TREATED 1~~~L~RY BIN POSTS 5' b===:::::::::::=====+========~ -Figure 2. Cross section of Agri-Foods composter showing pri­mary bins. 2" X 8" TREATED SECONDARY BIN WALLS 2" X 4" KNEE BRACES EXISTING STORAGE BUILDING T13'6" ~~T 1 ==========l'~_ I+-- 10' _14 10'-----+1 Figure 3. Cross section of Agri-Foods composter showing secondary bins. layer in the primary bin will depend somewhat on bin size and the weight of the carcasses being com­posted. Based on an average carcass weight of 3 pounds and the bin size used in this experiment, about 50 dead birds, or 150 pounds of carcasses were added in each layer. When straw or fescue hay was used as an ingredient, it was most effective to layer half the straw requirement above and below the car­cass layer. Based on a ISO-pound carcass layer, the straw requirement in these trials was 40 pounds of straw (150 x 0.25 = 40). Figure 4 is a schematic draw­ing of the layering scheme used in the trials with straw. Primary bins in all trials were started with a base layer of 6 inches of oak sawdust followed by a one-bale layer of straw. When the primary bins were full, they were "capped-off" with another 6-inch layer of sawdust. With these bin sizes and layering schemes, 17 to 18 layers were required to fill the bin, WQ211 Page 3 REPEAT COMPOSITE LAYERS UNTIL BIN IS FULL 20 LB STRAWI _____ 150 LB CARCASSESsl••••1 20 LB STRAWI ..... .... BASE150 LB CAGEDI•••• LAYERLAYER MANURE -i 6" STRAW 6" SAWDUST Figure 4. Formation of compost layers using the straw recipe. with 800 to 900 bird carcasses composted in each fill­ing of a primary bin. Normal mortality resulted in filling one primary bin in about one week. When straw was used as an ingredient, it was taken from small square bales. In the trial using fes­cue hay in place of straw, the fescue hay was "unwound" from a large round bale and placed directly into the primary bins. While the fescue hay trials composted equally as well as the trials using straw, the long fiber lengths of the fescue hay severely hindered bin cleaning when primary composting was completed. Therefore, if hay is used in place of straw, small square bales or round bales that are coarsely ground or shredded with a tub grinder should be used. Figure 5 is a schematic drawing of the layering scheme using recycled compost in place of caged layer manure and straw. The finished compost in these trials was quite dry, necessitating the addition of water as noted in Table 2. Care should be taken in adding water so that the composting mixture does not become too wet. Water can be added to the layers with a pressured garden hose. However, a hand sprinkler will more accurately apply the required Q I REPEAT COMPOSITE LAYERS UNTIL BIN IS FULL COMPOSITE LAYER ~ 225 LB RECYCLEDI•••• COMPOST 40LBWATER....1 ---a 150 LB CARCASSEsis••••1 .... BASE LAYER -i 6"SAWDUST Figure 5. Formation of compost layers using the recycled compost recipe. amount of water on each successive layer. In these trials, primary bins were composted 15 to 20 days before moving the material to the secondary bins. Table 3 shows average values of the chemical content of finished compost in these trials. .Summary As of January 1992, the composter at the Agri­Foods facility had been operating for 16 months. During this time 39,552 hen mortalities were com­posted. The composting process worked well in both winter and summer. An egg layer operation can suc­cessfully initiate composting as a means of managing dead birds by using the ingredient ratios with straw or hay as noted in Table 1. Once a supply of sec­ondary compost is generated, this compost can be recycled as an ingredient to replace both manure and straw as noted by the recipe in Table 2. Water may need to be added because of the dry nature of recy­cled compost. Refer to MU Publication WQ205, Composting Poultry Carcasses in Missouri, for detailed information on poultry composter design, construc­tion, and management. This guide was published with funds provided to the ~  Missouri Department of Natural Resources from the ~ Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII. To learn more about water quality and other natural resources, con­tact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, P. O.~ Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Toll free 1-800-334-7046. 6" STRAW • Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work Acts of May 8 and June 30, ~\l University 1914 in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Ronald C.~Extension Powers, Interim Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Missouri and UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI Lincoln University, Columbia, Missouri 65211.• An equal opportunity institution. COLUMBIA Page 4 WQ211 New 5/93/3.5M 

Composting Layer Mortalities: Agri-Foods Composter (1993)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of Missouri: MOspace