Acidifier Dosage Effects on Inside Ammonia Concentrations in Roaster Houses

• Published in: Applied engineering in agriculture Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 573 - 580
• Main Authors: Shah, S.B, Oviedo-Rondon, E.O, Grimes, J.L, Westerman, P.W, Campeau, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: air; ammonia; application rate; chickens; dose response; flocks; sodium
• ISSN: 0883-8542; 1943-7838
• DOI: 10.13031/aea.29.9904

Ammonia (NH3) in broiler houses can degrade bird performance. Acidifier such as, sodium bisulfate (SBS) applied to litter inside broiler houses can reduce NH3 release and thus improve bird performance. While there are multiple studies on acidifier effects on inside NH3 concentrations in broiler houses, there are no studies in roaster houses where big broiler birds are grown for 8 to 12 wk. The impact of different SBS application rates - High (1.46 kg/m2, whole house), Medium (0.73 kg/m2, whole house), Low (0.49 kg/m2, whole house), and Control (0.49 kg/m2, brood chamber) on inside NH3 concentrations was evaluated over six flocks of roaster chickens (~4 kg ea.). Ammonia concentrations were measured with acid scrubbers that sampled air at two locations (mid-house, end-house) 0.15 m above the litter. Inside NH3 concentrations were much higher in the cool-season versus warm-season flocks. Generally, higher acidifier application rates provided better NH3 suppression. Ammonia concentrations were ≤10 ppm during brooding, as well as for the entire duration of most warm-weather flocks with the High and Medium treatments. In the Low treatment, NH3 concentrations were ≤25 ppm during brooding but approached or exceeded 25 ppm with the Control treatment. During brooding, the High, Medium, and Low treatments resulted in significantly lower mid-house NH3 concentrations of 3, 6, and 14 ppm, respectively, versus the Control treatment (24 ppm). For a 62-d flock, mid-house NH3 concentrations were significantly lower in the High and Medium treatments versus the Control treatment; concentrations in the High, Medium, and Low treatments were reduced by 47%, 32%, and 20%, respectively, versus the Control treatment.