The influence of the probiotic product Amylocin in the diet of laying hens on the biogas production potential of their droppings has been studied. A laboratory batch experiment on litter anaerobic fermentation was carried out. The total and specific biogas and methane yields from poultry droppings in the control and experimental groups were determined. It was found that the use of the probiotic Amylocin in the diet of laying hens reduced the biogas productivity of their dung; the average specific biogas and methane yields from the droppings of hens that received the probiotic was 73.90 and 19.52 ml/g of organic matter, respectively; the corresponding values for hens the diet of which did not contain Amylocin was 120.97 and 46.69 ml/g of organic matter, respectively. At the same time, the litter of the poultry group with the highest productivity was characterized by the lowest yield of biogas and methane (51.56 and 14.05 ml/g organic material, respectively), which may be due to the better conversion of feed nutrients in the poultry body, as well as to the inhibitory effect of probiotic microflora on the methane-forming consortium in the droppings. The methane concentration in the biogas from poultry litter averaged 29.75% in the experimental groups and 38.60% in the control. Only biogas from droppings of poultry that received the lowest dose of the additive contained 46.71% methane and was combustible. The addition of carbon-rich co-substrates can potentially increase the efficiency of converting into biogas of droppings of laying hens fed with Amylocin.
biogas, methane, poultry litter, laying hens, Amylocin, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens
The work was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 18-47-310008 р_а.