Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science ()

Evaluation of Aluminum Chloride As an Effective Short-Term Solution for Reducing Odor - Causing Volatile Fatty Acids in Duck Litter

  • TH Chung,
  • JH Park,
  • CM Kim,
  • IH Choi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9061-2016-0401
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 3
pp. 545 – 548

Abstract

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ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) on pH and volatile fatty acid levels in duck litter over the course of a three-week experimental period. Ninety one-day-old Pekin ducks (45 males and 45 females) were distributed into three treatments with three replicates each (10 ducks per replicate) using a completely randomized design. Two treatments were top-dressing duck litter with thin layers (1-2 cm) of 50 g or 100 g of AlCl3 per kg of litter, respectively; the control group received no litter treatment. Although no significant differences in propionic acid levels (p>0.05) were observed in any of the treatments, overall pH values for the 50 g and 100 g AlCl3 treatments were both lower (p<0.05) than those of the control group. Additionally, the two AlCl3 treatments revealed a corresponding influence (p<0.05) on acetic acid levels during the last two weeks of the experimental period. These results indicate that aluminum chloride amendments (at a suggested rate of 100 g per kg of duck litter) are potentially useful in lowering the pH of duck litter, thereby decreasing acetic acid production as an indicator of odor emissions.

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