Technology Brief

Field Testing of Pulp & Paper Mill Short Fiber Residual as Commercial Poultry Broiler Bedding

Background

Pulp and paper mill short fiber residual (SFR) is a key post-industrial waste problem in Washington State. The commercial poultry industry in Washington is experiencing yearly increases in production. At the same time, the availability of traditional bedding materials is declining and bedding costs are rising. The purpose of this investigation was to test and validate the use of recycled-content SFR beddings as suitable, alternative bedding materials.

The CWC, in partnership with Absorption Corp., tested and evaluated two, high-performance bedding materials manufactured from SFR. The study incorporated a three-step investigation to validate the manufacturing technology, evaluate bird health and test the material performance in large-scale animal production. Specialists from academic, industrial, agricultural and government sectors were selected to review the project objectives, test plan and procedures, and the final results.

Test Description

Virgin-mill and recycle-mill SFR beddings were first tested in two, consecutive facility trials at Oregon State University, Corvallis. Suitability of the materials as broiler bedding was determined by evaluating bird body weights, feed consumption, litter caking, carcass grade, condemnation level and mortality.

In a second, separate investigation, the two SFR beddings were tested (using the traditional wood shavings material as the control) at one commercial broiler farm over a single growout period. Bedding performance was evaluated according to handling characteristics, bedding life, particle size, compaction/caking, dust generation, litter temperature, ammonia and odor control, moisture/absorbency, mold/fungal growth, biological inertness, poultry litter degradation and nutrient content.

Bedding cost and availability estimates were calculated to determine the economic feasibility and potential supply of manufactured beddings from SFR.

Test Results

The mill-based SFR beddings performed equal to traditional broiler beddings for: ease of handling, maintenance, and removal; undergoing mesophilic and thermophilic degradation; meeting qualifications as a Type I, Grade AA compost; and providing the necessary nutrients required in fertilizers and ruminant feeds.

The test results identified several potential benefits for using mill-based SFR as broiler bedding:

· Increased bird weights: 1.5% heavier live bird weights than for the control;
· Increased number of A-grades: 6% more A-Grades than for the control;
· Reduced mortality rate: 5% lower mortality rate per growout than the industry target minimum;
· Lower atmospheric ammonia levels: up to 66% lower during the first three weeks of the growout than in the control;
· Greater moisture absorbing capacity: up to 3.5% more moisture absorbed than the control;
· Ability to retain and release heat: 4% warmer litter surface temperatures than the control during the beginning of the growout, and 13% warmer base temperatures than the control at the end of the growout; and
· Reduced yeast/mold counts: lower levels detected in the fresh SFR than in the control.

Conclusions

The results of the investigation indicated that virgin-mill and recycle-mill short fiber residuals can be engineered into poultry bedding and successfully manufactured for use in high-volume production. The manufactured mill-based beddings demonstrated suitable performance characteristics for use in commercial broiler production. The spent SFR poultry litters have the potential to be used as value-added products such as fertilizers, composts and ruminant feeds. Proximate and fractional analyses results indicated that both SFR litters contained the necessary nutrients for use in fertilizers, depending upon individual crop requirements, and ruminant feeds at the correct mix ratio.

Additional studies evaluating the potential uses of virgin and recycle-mill based SFR bedding materials are recommended and include:

· Determining market areas and quantity needs for virgin-mill and recycle-mill SFR beddings within Washington State;
· Investigating potential economic alternatives to reduce present manufacturing costs;
· Evaluating effects of using spent virgin-mill and recycle-mill SFR poultry litter in specific value-added products;
· Quantifying the effects on broiler house darkling beetle populations from using virgin-mill and recycle-mill SFR beddings; and
· Investigating FDA objections to the use of newsprint materials as animal bedding material.

Report Issue Date: December 1997

Fact Sheet Issue Date: December 1997