CWC Technology Brief

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

Background

Pulp and paper mill waste short fiber (WSF) is a key post-industrial waste problem in the state of Washington. In partnership with Absorption Corporation, a local producer of specialty animal beddings, the Clean Washington Center took advantage of an opportunity to test and evaluate a high performance bedding material, manufactured from pulp and paper mill waste fiber, for use in broiler production. While the broiler industry in Washington State is experiencing yearly increases in production, the availability of traditional cellulose bedding is declining, Rising bedding costs have created an interest in non-traditional bedding materials among progressive poultry processors.

Test Description

For this project, mill-based primary WSF was processed into animal bedding, tested under facility and field-site conditions, and evaluated for use in commercial broiler production. The purpose of this investigation was to validate the use of engineered WSF beddings as a suitable broiler bedding. Specialists from academic, industrial, agricultural, and Washington State agency sectors reviewed and evaluated the bedding performance objectives, test plan, test procedures, and final report.

Primary WSF was repulped, dewatered, particulated to size, and dried to process specifications. Virgin-mill and recycle-mill WSF bedding materials were 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 scores, carcass grade, condemnation level and mortality.

Both virgin-mill and recycle-mill WSF beddings were tested and compared to traditional wood shavings bedding, under commercial broiler production practices, during one eight-week growout period. Bedding performance was evaluated for handling characteristics, bedding life, particle size, compaction/caking, dust generation, litter temperature, ammonia and odor control, moisture/absorbency, mold/fungal growth, biological inertness, and poultry litter degradation and nutrient content. Effects on bird health and weight gain were also determined. Bedding availability and cost were evaluated to determine the economic feasibility and potential supply of manufacturing mill-based broiler bedding.

Test Results

Both mill-based WSF beddings met all of the established poultry production criteria as a suitable broiler bedding material and did not render significant differences from the control material. Test results identified several potential benefits to using mill-based WSF materials as broiler bedding. The mortality rate in birds grown on virgin mill-based bedding was 5 percent lower than the industry ideal rate per growout. Recycle and virgin mill-based beddings had 26 percent and 41 percent lower mortality rates than the average farm mortality rate with traditional bedding. Bird weights were 1.5 percent heavier in birds grown on virgin mill-based bedding than those grown on the control bedding. No evidence of birds ingesting either of the WSF treatments as observed from post-mortem examinations. A-Grade quality of the processed broilers was 6 percent and 4.6 percent greater in the virgin and recycle WSF treatments than the control (wood shavings) treatment. Neither WSF beddings caused detrimental bird health effects or reduced carcass quality.

In addition, mean atmospheric ammonia levels in the broiler house containing mill-based fibers were as much as 66 percent lower than ammonia levels in the control house during the first three weeks of the growout. Both mill-based beddings initially had lower moisture contents (6.4 percent and 13.9 percent) than the control bedding. The mill-based beddings gained more moisture, by weight, than the control bedding during the testing period. The results suggest that both virgin and recycle WSF beddings have the ability to absorb greater amounts of moisture than wood shavings. Yeast/mold counts were considerably lower in the mill-based beddings than in the control.

Both of the tested WSF beddings were successfully hauled, placed, managed, and removed by methods and equipment currently used to handle traditional broiler bedding.

Composting

Stack temperatures in decomposing mill-based litter treatments fell within ideal aerobic mesophilic and thermophilic composting temperature ranges. Preliminary compost-suitability testing results indicate that the mill-based litters should qualify as a Type 1, AA-Grade compost. Proximate and fractional analyses results indicate that both mill-based beddings met optimum size characteristics and contain the necessary nutrients for use in fertilizers and ruminant feeds when used according to crop needs and suggested guidelines.

Conclusions

Based upon the test results of this investigation, virgin-mill and recycle-mill WSF can be successfully processed into poultry broiler bedding. Upon completion of the broiler growth cycle, both WSF poultry litters may also be used successfully in value-added products such as fertilizers and composts. Further testing is required to confirm acceptability of the use of the spent litter as a ruminant feed.

The support of this project by Absorption Corp. (Bellingham, WA) and Pederson's Fryer Farms (Tacoma, WA) is gratefully acknowledged.

Report Dated: April 1997

Fact Sheet Update: April 1997