ALWYN MOSS LTD

Poultry litter INFORMATION

Benefits

How it works

Content analysis

Application rate

Delivery arrangements

Benefits

The benefits of using poultry litter have long been recognised by many of the more successful farmers and vegetable growers in East Anglia.

Using poultry litter will:

restore the organic matter that is necessary to support vital bacteria in your

soil which in turn will enable the plant to use nutrients which will help it to

resist disease.

provide bacteria to break down yield reducing herbicides and pesticides in

your soil.

improve the moisture retention properties of your soil and enable plants to

better absorb water- soluble nutrients.

How it works

Poultry litter is usually based on either fine wood shavings or occasionally

chopped straw. The relatively high nitrogen content ensures a break down of the

base material, while at the same time it does not need to draw on existing nitrogen

in the soil. Organic manures slowly decompose and liberate the plant food, while

fertilisers supply it all at once and it is soon lost to lower subsoils during wet seasons.

The decay of such material provides energy to fuel Azotabacter; this is the family of bacteria that are able to convert free nitrogen from the atmosphere to a form readily

utilised by plants.

By using organic manures you will enable an even supply of nutrients to your crop

throughout the growing season.

With potatoes for example, you will often notice an extended growth period later in

the season, at the time when bulk is added to the crop.

Content analysis

Approximately 60% of the nitrogen and phosphate from poultry litter is available

during the first season. The remainder becomes available in following years. Care

must be taken with the following seasons cereal crops. It is recommended that

residual nitrogen levels are taken into consideration before application of top

dressing. You should find a flush of growth when soil temperatures reach 10

degrees Centigrade.

Approximately 60% of the potash is available in the first season. See table below.

Typical analysis deep litter (fresh weight)

	NITROGEN	PHOSPHATE	POTASH	Mg
Kg / tonne	28	13	16	3.8
% Average 1st year	60	60	75	100
Kg / tonne 1st year	17	7.5	12	3.8

Poultry litter as normally supplied will be at approximately 40% or less moisture

content. Therefore no run off will be experienced.

NB. All organic manures should be stored at least 10 metres from any watercourse.

It is finely based material, unlike cattle or pig manure, and therefore lends itself to the

low rates of application recommended (see table below). Tests carried out on stored litter show very little loss of nitrogen.