University study examines solution to poultry odours

A recent study out of Texas A&M University has proven the effectiveness of BiowishTM as a feed additive, significantly reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have been strongly associated with odour on poultry farms.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, broiler production is gradually shifting to larger operations, a trend common to most agricultural commodities, resulting in concentrated poultry emissions in localised areas.

“Larger farms and increased urban sprawl have made odour resulting from livestock production, particularly on poultry farms, a growing concern for farmers, local governments and nearby residents in recent years,” said Biowish Technologies Senior EVP for Animal Agriculture Ian Smith.

The Texas A&M trial tested two Biowish products as feed additives, focusing on the products’ effects on emissions emanating from fresh fecal material from battery-reared broilers. The inclusion of both products resulted in significant decreases of up to 88% (p ≤ 0.05) in multiple VOC compounds that have been strongly associated with odour in poultry production. The addition of one product also resulted in increased body weight throughout the study, with a significant 5% increase (p ≤ 0.05) on Day-21.

Lead researcher at Texas A&M’s Poultry Research Center Dr Jason Lee said, “the results of this experiment confirm the ability of Biowish to reduce VOC concentrations from fresh fecal material and indicate growth improvement with dietary inclusion of one of the products.”

A full-scale trial with Texas A&M is now planned as part of Biowish Technologies’ submission for FDA approval to use Biowish as a feed additive for post-excretion odour control in poultry.

Source: Biowish Technologies