Evaluation of a process for improved quality and microbial safety of broiler litter: Fid-Bau Portal

Evaluation of a process for improved quality and microbial safety of broiler litter

McCaskey, T.A. / Martin, J.B. Jr.

AbstractA process was evaluated which enhances the crude protein level of broiler litter, promotes preservation, and serves to ensure the elimination of potential bacterial pathogens. Two-kg lots of litter, composed of broiler chicken excreta and pine wood shavings, were inoculated with cultures of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. The litter was acidified with sulfuric acid to pH 1·5, then the pH was raised to 5·0 with anhydrous ammonia. The treatment increased the level of crude protein from 27·4 to 36·6%, decreased moisture from 21·9 to 17·4%, and decreased, slightly, the fiber content of the litter. The treatment reduced viable counts of E. coli and Salmonella from 3·0 × 10⁵/g to less than $1100 g litter$ . With 450-kg lots of litter inoculated with cultures of E. coli the acid/ammonia process reduced the viable count of the organism from 6·0 × 10⁶/g to less than $1100 g$ . The destruction of enteric bacteria was more effective with 450-kg lots of litter because the litter temperature achieved by the reaction of acid and ammonia reached 88°C in the 450-kg lots but only 75°C in the 2-kg lots. The acid/ammonia process increased the crude protein content of litter by 34% and reduced the viable count of E. coli and Salmonella by more than 6 log cycles.