Importance of Poultry litter Management

The India poultry market grew significantly to USD 30.46 billion in 2023, driven by increasing protein consumption, rising disposable incomes, and the popularity of affordable poultry products. However, the industry faces challenges with waste accumulation, particularly manure and litter. Broiler poultry birds produce approximately 1.5 to 5.7 kg of waste per 6-week cycle, while layer birds generate about 20 kg of waste annually.

Challenges Arising from Poultry Waste

Poultry production contributes indirectly to nitrous oxide emissions due to its high concentrate-feed requirements and related nitrogen fertilizer use on arable land. According to FAO–IFA (2001), there is a 1% N2O-N loss rate from nitrogen fertilizer applied to arable land. Applying this rate, nitrous oxide emissions from poultry feed-related fertilizer are estimated at 0.07 million tonnes of N2O-N per year.

Intensive poultry production contributes an estimated 3% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. This estimate excludes emissions from land use changes and feed transport. Unlike intensive systems, backyard or mixed extensive systems have minimal environmental impacts due to limited waste concentration and use of local feed sources. Poultry production generates various pollutants, including oxygen-demanding substances, ammonia, solids, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), pathogens, trace elements, antibiotics, pesticides, hormones, odor, and airborne emissions, affecting multiple environmental media.

Managing Poultry Wastes and Potential Solutions

The amount of manure produced depends on the number of birds and the rate of waste production. Most poultry systems handle manure as a solid, leading to aerobic decomposition and less methane generation compared to anaerobic conditions. Public perception is influenced by appearance and aesthetics. Manure by-products can be recycled on agricultural land, improving soil properties such as nutrient availability, pH, organic matter content, cation exchange capacity, and water holding capacity. Poultry waste, rich in essential nutrients, is particularly valuable for organic growers. Adding poultry manure to soils enhances physical, chemical, and biological fertility, improving soil structure and crop yields. Optimal use of manure requires understanding its composition for both beneficial uses and environmental impacts.

There is a lack of effort to understand the utilization and management of poultry waste in agriculture, including issues related to acquisition, handling, seasonal variations, organization, and farmer perceptions. This concern highlights the need to focus on poultry waste management techniques and their impact on yields and farmer well-being. Understanding these drivers can improve poultry waste practices, enhancing crop yield, revenue generation, food security, and poverty reduction.

Conclusion

• The India poultry market reached USD 30.46 billion in 2023, driven by higher protein consumption, rising incomes, and the affordability of poultry products.
• Poultry production generates significant waste, with broiler birds producing 1.5 to 5.7 kg per 6-week cycle and layer birds about 20 kg annually.
• The industry contributes indirectly to nitrous oxide emissions due to nitrogen fertilizer use in feed production, with an estimated 0.07 million tonnes of N2O-N emitted per year.
• Intensive poultry systems contribute around 3% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and transport emissions.
• Poultry waste management includes challenges with pollutants like ammonia, solids, nutrients, pathogens, antibiotics, and airborne emissions.
• Manure from poultry can be beneficially used in agriculture, improving soil properties and fertility, especially for organic farming.
• There is a need for better understanding and management of poultry waste to enhance crop yield, farmer revenue, food security, and poverty reduction.