The economics of land application of fresh and composted broiler litter with an environmental constraint

Land application of broiler litter is a common disposal method due to its v alue as a fertiliser substitute but presents potential environmental proble ms because of nutrient runoff. Composting has been suggested as an alternat ive due to the formation of more stable organic components. The land applic ation of fresh and composted broiler litter are compared as alternative dis posal methods. The costs of land application of broiler litter are dominate d by spreading because of low nutrient densities relative to commercial fer tilisers. Composting broiler lifter before land application appears to be s ubstantially less economically attractive than land application of fresh br oiler litter because of high costs of production and higher spreading costs due to even lower nutrient density However; when environmental constraints are placed on the phosphorus concentration from hayfield runoff, compostin g becomes a more attractive alternative. Composting becomes more viable as the land base for application becomes smaller relative to broiler productio n; as alternative disposal costs for litter become higher; and as environme ntal constraints become stricter (C) 1999 Academic Press.