Effect of different substrates on composting of poultry litter

The objective was to evaluate the differences between distinct types of litter material and their combinations in the dynamics of degradation on the organic matter fractions and the quality of the final compound. The treatments were established according to material used as substrate for broiler litter: treatment 1 - rice husks; 2 - sugar cane bagasse; 3 - wood shavings; 4 - wood shavings + sugar cane bagasse; 5 - rice husks + sugar cane bagasse; and 6 - Napier grass. The following variables were monitored: temperature, levels of total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), mass and volume of the pile, fibrous fraction, and levels and reductions of N, P and K during the process. Piles formed with Napier grass and sugar cane bagasse presented the highest average temperatures during composting. The greater average reductions in TS and VS were attained in piles with sugar cane bagasse (68.12 and 73.07%, for TS and VS, respectively). The reductions of greatest volume occurred in piles with sugar cane bagasse (52.08%), followed by Napier grass (50.56%). Poultry litters composed of rice husks and wood shavings presented 13.21 and 10.23% of lignin, respectively, which contributed to the lower degradation of fibrous fraction and degradability. Substrates with lower lignin content were those with greatest organic matter degradation rate and had reduced losses of N levels during the process. Composting performance is affected by the initial substrate used to compose the poultry litter.

Microbiological analyses of poultry litter used for ruminant feeding

The aims of this study were to estimate the changes in total bacterial counts (TBC) in poultry litter samples, consisting of rice hulls, after storage, and to identify pathogenic bacteria. For the countings Plate Count agar (Difco) was used. Enrichment and selective media such as blood agar, MacConkey, Baird Parker, brain and heart agar, and egg yolk solid media, and cooked meat and brain and heart infusion, incubated under aerobic or anaerobic conditions were used to isolate Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella sp, Clostridium perfringens, C. botulinum, C. chauvoei, Campylobacter sp, Escherichia coli, and Corynebacterium sp. Litter samples were collected from the houses of the Veterinary School experimental aviary. A fully randomized experimental design was used with four treatments and four replications, for a total of 16 samples. A decrease in TBC was detected when treatment T1 (zero days of storage) was compared with treatments T2 (14 days of storage). on the other hand the treatments T3 (28 days of storage) and T4 (42 days of storage) presented significantly superior counting in relation to treatment T1. Some pathogenic bacteria of Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coil, Proteus, Arizona, Providencia, Edwardsiella, as well as Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, different species of genus Clostridium as C. perfringens, C. sordelli, C. chauvoei, C. tetani and C. novyi as well as some strains of Corynebacterium pyogenes were isolated.

Avaliação de probióticos na dieta de frangos de corte criados em cama nova ou reutilizada

Três experimentos foram conduzidos com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da utilização de probióticos na dieta de frangos de corte sobre as características da cama reutilizada e das lesões de peito, joelho e coxim plantar. Foram utilizados em cada experimento 800 pintos machos de um dia, da linhagem comercial Ross, alojados em 20 boxes, em densidade populacional de 10 aves/m². O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado e os tratamentos distribuídos em esquema fatorial 2 × 2 (cama nova ou reutilizada x rações com ou sem probiótico). O probiótico utilizado nas dietas foi composto por Bacillus subtilis e B. coagulans (2x10(9) e 1x10(7) ufc, respectivamente). Aos 42 dias de idade, quatro aves de cada boxe foram abatidas para análise das lesões de peito, joelho e coxim plantar. A cama de cada boxe foi amostrada para determinação dos teores de MS e nitrogênio, do potencial de volatilização de amônia e do pH. A cama reutilizada apresentou maior teor de MS, maiores valores de pH e potencial de volatilização de amônia e menor teor de nitrogênio. O probiótico usado nas rações resultou em maior potencial de volatilização de amônia. As lesões de coxim plantar e joelho foram maiores quando utilizada cama nova. As camas reutilizadas por dois, três e quatro ciclos causaram menores lesões de joelho e coxim plantar. O probiótico não promoveu efeito benéfico sobre a cama reutilizada.

Biodigestão anaeróbia dos resíduos da produção avícola: cama de frangos e carcaças

O propósito deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção de biogás, bem como os potenciais de produção e a qualidade do biofertilizante obtido com a biodigestão anaeróbia dos resíduos cama de frangos e carcaças de aves pré-compostados. Para tanto, foram pré-compostados cama de frango e carcaças de aves mortas em uma composteira durante um período de 60 dias, período necessário para que ocorresse decomposição prévia das carcaças e assim fosse possível manipular o material para abastecer os biodigestores. Após este período, o material foi utilizado para abastecer os biodigestores batelada de campo com capacidade de 60 litros de material em fermentação. Para o processo de biodigestão anaeróbia, foram efetuadas análises dos teores de sólidos totais (ST), sólidos voláteis (SV), composição química do efluente, potenciais de produção, além do número mais provável (NMP) de coliformes totais e termotolerantes no afluente e efluente. Os potenciais médios de produção de biogás foram: 0,073; 0,152 e 0,141m³.kg-1 de material, SV e ST adicionados, respectivamente. Foram observadas reduções acima de 99% no NMP de coliformes totais e termotolerantes, sendo observado NMP de 3,7 x 10(5) g-1 no início e 7,45 x 10² g-1 no final.

Efeito de condicionadores químicos sobre a qualidade da cama de frango

Avaliou-se a qualidade química da cama de frango submetida, por três lotes consecutivos de criação, a diferentes condicionadores químicos. Foram utilizadas 1320 aves, 440 por lote, em delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos (Trat. 1 - cama sem tratamento; Trat. 2 - cama tratada com sulfato de alumínio; Trat. 3 - cama tratada com gesso agrícola; Trat. 4 - cama tratada com superfosfato simples e Trat. 5 - cama tratada com cal hidratada) e quatro repetições. As amostras de cama foram coletadas no 42º dia de utilização. Não houve influência dos condicionadores (P>0,05) sobre a matéria seca. O sulfato de alumínio reduziu (P<0,002) o valor de pH (7,42; 7,07 e 6,00, respectivamente no primeiro, segundo e terceiro lotes) e reduziu (P<0,05) a quantidade de amônia volatilizada (3,14; 1,36 e 1,79mg/100g, respectivamente no primeiro, segundo e terceiro lotes), quando comparado aos outros tratamentos. Concluiu-se que o sulfato de alumínio pode ser adicionado à cama de frango para manter o pH baixo e inibir a volatilização da amônia.

Nitrous oxide production and potential denitrification in soils from riparian buffer strips: Influence of earthworms and plant litter

Vegetated riparian buffer strips have been established in Southern Quebec (Canada) in order to intercept nutrients such as nitrate (NO(3)(-)) and protect water quality near agricultural fields. Buffer strips may also favour denitrification through a combination of high soil moisture, NO(3)(-) and carbon supply, which could lead to the production of nitrous oxide (N(2)O), a greenhouse gas. Denitrification could be further amplified by the presence of earthworms, or by plant species that promote earthworm and bacterial activity in soils. Soils from four farms, comprising maize fields and adjacent buffer strips, were sampled in the fall of 2008. A total of six earthworm species were found, but average earthworm biomass did not differ between buffer strips and maize agroecoecosystems. Nitrate concentrations and net nitrification rates were higher in the maize fields than in the buffer strips: there was no difference in N(2)O production in soils collected from the two sampling locations. Potential denitrification, measured by acetylene inhibition, varied by two orders of magnitude, depending on experimental conditions: when amended with H(2)O or with H(2)O + NO3-, potential denitrification was higher (P < 0.05) in soils from buffer strips than from maize fields. Potential denitrification was highest in soils amended with H(2)O+glucose, or with H(2)O+ NO(3)(-) + glucose. Using microcosms, we tested the effect of litter-soil mixtures on earthworm growth, and the effect of earthworm-litter-soil mixtures on potential denitrification. Based on four categories of chemical assays, litters of woody species (oak, apple, Rhododendron) were generally of lower nutritional quality than litter from agronomic species (alfalfa, switchgrass, corn stover). Alfalfa litter had the most positive effect, whereas apple litter had the most negative effect, on earthworm growth. Potential denitrification was 2-4 times higher in earthworm-litter-soil mixtures than in plain soil. Litter treatments that included corn stover had lower potential denitrification than those that included alfalfa or switchgrass, whereas litter treatments that included oak had lower potential denitrification than those that included apple or Rhododendron. Results suggest that potential N(2)O emissions may be higher in riparian buffer strips than in adjacent maize fields, that N(2)O emissions in buffer strips may be amplified by comminuting earthworms, and that plant litters that reduce earthworm growth may not be best at mitigating N(2)O emissions. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estudo dos efeitos da restrição alimentar nas características das fibras musculares de bovinos jovens confinados

The influence of restricting feed intake of young bulls in feedlots was evaluated in terms of structure of muscular fibers and respective areas, sampled by biopsy on the semitendinoso muscle. Sixty six crossbred Simental-Nelore bulls, 8 months old, averaging 220±34.03 kg were submited for 84 days in phase 1 (growing period), to three treatments: ad libitum (AL), restriction + whole soybean (RWS) and restriction + toasted whole soybean (RTS). The level of restriction of feed intake was 23%. Phase 2 was performed by splitting the animals in each treatment in phase 1 in two groups, feeding one with a diet containing soybeans and the other with poultry litter. The results showed that the animals AL presented more white fibers (FG), compared to the RWS and RST and a larger area of these fibers. A greater frequency of red fibers was observed in treatments RWS and RST. The conclusion was that the restriction of feed intake and consequent compensatory growth contributed for modulation of the muscular fibers increasing the frequency of the fast oxidative glycolitic (FOG) in 10.88% and decreasing of the slow oxidative (SO) and FG in 4.81 and 6.90%, respectively, with possible alteration on meat quality.

Avaliação de um sistema híbrido de produção de biogás

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FCAV

Produção de biogás utilizando cama de frangos diluída em água e em biofertilizante de dejetos de suínos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desenvolvimento de substrato supressivo à murcha do crisântemo causada por Fusarium oxysporum

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Experimental infection of one-day-old chicks with Salmonella Serotypes Previously isolated from poultry facilities, wild birds, and swine

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Leaf-litter decomposition of the mangrove species Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle

This study evaluated the decomposition process of leaf litter from the main Brazilian mangrove species Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle. Senescent leaves were collected, dried and placed in nylon bags with different mesh sizes (fine: 2x2mm and coarse: 8x8mm). The bags were distributed over the sediment, and replicates of each species and mesh size were collected periodically over 4months. In the laboratory, the dry weight of the samples was measured, and the decomposition coefficient (k) for each species and mesh size was obtained over time. All species showed a rapid decomposition rate at the beginning of the experiment, followed by a slower but steady rate of decomposition over time. The rate of leaf litter decomposition was highest in A. schaueriana, intermediate in L. racemosa and lowest in R. mangle. The difference was mainly linked to the activity and abundance of detritivores, together with the different litter quality of the species, which determined their palatability and probably influenced the decomposition process.

Análise isotópica (Delta15N) e química do capim-marandu adubado com ureia e cama de frango e diferido

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ

MINERAL NITROGEN SUBSTITUTION BY CHICKEN LITTER IN SUCCESSION OAT/CORN

The constant search for sustainability of production systems have driven research to find alternatives to the problems arising from the intensified use such systems. In this context the present work aimed study the effects of substitution of mineral nitrogen by chicken litter in oat and corn crop in succession and the chemical characteristics of soil. The study was conducted during the period May 2009 to March 2010 in area of Oxisol. The design was of randomized block with four replications. The six treatments were obtained by a combination of different amounts of chicken litter (0, 1500, 3000, 4500, 6000 and 7500 kg ha(-1)) applied 30 days before the sowing of oats combined with the mineral nitrogen applied in coverage in corn (311.1, 257.8, 202.2, 148.9, 95.6, 42.2 kg ha(-1) of urea), for the total supply of 140 kg ha(-1) of nitrogen (N). The application of poultry litter in oat promotes increased the production of dry matter, and content and accumulation of N. The mineral nitrogen substitution by chicken litter increases the yield of corn crop. The use of poultry litter alters the chemical properties of soil, increasing the levels of organic matter, exchangeable Al and acidity potential. However lowers the pH, K, Ca, Mg, sum of bases and base saturation.

Rastreabilidade da cama de aviário por isótopos estáveis em bovinos leiteiros

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ