QUALITY AND NUTRIENT RELEASE OF POULTRY MANURE IMMERSED IN WATER

Abstract

Attempts aimed at establishing a sound basis for the frequency of manure inputs into fish pond water showed that the greater bulk of mineral release occurs within 72 hours of immersion into water. Elemental composition of the poultry manure revealed that HCO⁻ ₃ and CO^2- ₃ formed the highest concentration of those measured (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, NO₃−N, PO₄−P, HCO⁻ ₃ and CO^2- ₃). Phosphorus at 0,5% was slightly lower than for poultry manures recorded from elsewhere (0,7%). Moisture (13,4 ± 0,86 (S.E.)%) and crude protein (14,2 ± 5,4 (S.E.)%), on dry weight basis were also lower while ash content was higher (28,9 ± 2,50 (S.E.)%), probably a reflection of different processing and storage methods, environment and feed quality used for local chicken feedstuff.