A FARM-SCALE STUDY ON THE USE OF CLINOPTILOLITE ZEOLITE AND DE-ODORASE(R) FOR REDUCING ODOR AND AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM BROILER HOUSES

Intensive poultry farms are frequently the subject of odour complaints and are also known emitters of ammonia. In this paper an experiment i s described which compared the effectiveness of two abatement compound s, clinoptilolite and De-Odorase(R), when used in broiler production. Two sites were used which had almost identical buildings, each with tw o rooms, and the same strain of bird. Clinoptilolite was used on one s ite and De-Odorase(R) on the other Once a week ventilation rate, ammon ia concentration and odour concentration were measured to determine th e effects of the additives. We also measured temperature, relative hum idity and carbon dioxide concentration to confirm that the control and test rooms had similar micro-climates. In the room treated with clino ptilolite the ammonia concentration was statistically significantly hi gher than in the control and the total mass of ammonia emitted was 50% greater. In the De-Odorase(R) experiment the mean ammonia concentrati on in the treated room in the final week was 38% lower than in the con trol and the total mass of ammonia emitted from the treated room was 5 0% lower There was no statistically significant reduction in the odour concentration or odour emission rate for either of the additives used . (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.