Influence of Poultry Litter Application Methods on the Longevity of Nutrient and E. coli in Runoff from Tall Fescue Pasture

Abstract

Significant quantities of the broiler chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) litter produced in the USA are being applied to pasture lands. The traditional surface-broadcast application of animal manure onto permanent pasture, however, may lead to high concentration of nutrients and pathogenic microorganisms near the soil surface that could be transported off site by runoff water. Subsurface banding of poultry litter has the potential to reduce nutrient and pathogen losses through runoff. However, this has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we used rainfall simulations to examine the effect of broiler litter application methods on the longevity of nutrient and Escherichia coli losses in runoff by successive runoff events. Runoff plots were constructed on Hartsells fine sandy loam (Typic Hapludults) soil with permanent Kentucky 31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) pasture in Crossville, AL. Treatments included two methods of litter application (surface broadcast and subsurface banding), commercial fertilizer, and control (no litter or fertilizer applied). To evaluate the longevity of nutrient losses, simulated rainfall (110 mm h −1 ) was applied to each plot on days 1, 7, and 14 following litter and fertilizer applications. Total P (TP), inorganic N, and E. coli concentrations were all significantly greater in runoff from broadcast litter application than the subsurface litter banding treatments. The TP losses from broadcast litter applications averaged 6.5 times those from subsurface litter applications. About 81% of the runoff TP concentration was in the form of dissolved reactive phosphorus for both litter application methods. The average losses of NO 3 -N and total suspended solids from subsurface litter banding plots were 358 g ha −1 and 68 kg ha −1 compared to 462 and 60 kg ha −1 for the broadcast method, respectively. This study shows that subsurface banding of broiler litter into perennial grassland can substantially reduce nutrient and pathogen losses in runoff compared to the traditional surface-broadcast practice.

Microbiological Safety of Chicken Litter or Chicken Litter-Based Organic Fertilizers: A Review

“…Clear understanding of the transport of pathogens potentially present in poultry wastes and its runoff is essential for the establishment of effective control strategies to reduce the adverse impact on environment, food safety, and public health. Sistani et al [60] compared two methods of poultry litter application, surface broadcast and subsurface banding, to investigate the influence of application methods on E. coli concentration in runoff from tall fescue pasture. E. coli concentration was found to be significantly higher in runoff from broadcast application than subsurface banding treatment.…”

Effects of tillage and poultry manure application rates on Salmonella and fecal indicator bacteria concentrations in tiles draining Des Moines Lobe soils

“…Poultry manure (PM) is an excellent source of phosphorous, nitrogen, potassium, and other nutrients essential for plant growth, and is therefore is applied to cropland in the United States (US), Canada, the European Union, and China, in lieu of, or in addition to, commercial fertilizer (Oenema et al, 2007;Sistani et al, 2010). In the US state of Iowa, alone, over 15 billion eggs are produced annually (UDSA-NASS, 2014), resulting in the generation of over 5.6 million Mg of fresh layer manure (Naber and Bermudez, 1990).…”

“…These systems move water quickly to surface waters, decreasing the soil's natural capacity for filtration. Bacterial transport in runoff from application of various types of manures, including poultry, has been widely studied (Soupir et al, 2006;Jenkins et al, 2008;Brooks et al, 2009;Harmel, 2009;Guzman et al, 2010;Sistani et al, 2010;Delgado et al, 2011). Laboratoryscale studies have shown that SALM and other pathogens can be transported through over 1 m of soil, and transport is controlled by soil types, hydrodynamic forces, physical filtration, and interactions between bacterial surface-charges and air, water, and soil interfaces (Haznedaroglu et al, 2009;Bech et al, 2010;Chen, 2012).…”

Nutrients and Bacteria in Common Contiguous Mississippi Soils with and without Broiler Litter Fertilization

“…Levels of thermotolerant coliforms, E. coli , and enterococci in the present study were also relatively low and not different between L+ and L– soils (Table 3). Background or natural levels of E. coli and other fecal indicators have frequently been measured for runoff studies in control soils not receiving litter and in soils before litter application (Jenkins et al, 2006; Brooks et al, 2009; Sistani et al, 2010). Contributions of indicator and pathogenic bacteria by livestock, pets, wild animals, and birds is well established (Reed et al, 2003; USGS, 2009), and estimates of their background levels are factored into watershed runoff models (Liu et al, 2010).…”