Improving Litter Quality

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Wet litter and how it affects your in-house environment:

Wet litter is a condition when the litter reaches its saturation threshold and is unable to hold more moisture. This causes microbial activity to increase, which leads to ammonia being produced and emitted into the air. Also, when litter is wet, it is more likely to promote the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and molds.

Litter quality plays a huge part in the quality of your in-house environment. Wet litter causes problems on multiple levels including management, housing, disease, gut health and diet. Manure and moisture are the leading factors that influence litter conditions. Growers can’t do much to control the manure portion, but they can control litter moisture.

What are the effects of wet litter on birds?

When birds are grown in a high moisture environment, they do not perform to their genetic potential.  This can lead to negative welfare issues such as:

  • footpad dermatitis
  • condemnations
  • scabby areas
  • breast blisters
  • bruising

What causes litter to be wet?

There are multiple factors that affect the moisture in your litter. For example, new litter not being stored properly and becoming damp before it is spread in the house is an avoidable issue. Some dietary ingredients like salt, when fed excessively, can cause the birds to consume and excrete large amounts of water resulting in wet litter. If your ventilation system is not able to fight off moisture effectively, then environmental conditions such as very cold temperatures, wet and humid weather, or condensation can cause wet litter. Also, be mindful of your drinker lines, evaporative cooling pads, and foggers because if they are not maintained and managed properly, then you will also experience high moisture litter conditions.

How can Agrigro help enhance litter quality and promote a healthier environment for your birds?

AgriGro’s IndigoLT is the solution to wet litter.

IndigoLT is an all natural litter treatment that will lower moisture levels in your litter while also reducing pathogens, disease and ammonia levels, thereby improving overall bird health, and much more. Check out this video from a poultry grower near De Queen, Arkansas who went 17 batches while using IndigoLT without a full cleanout.



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The Fight Against Ammonia

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What is ammonia?

Ammonia is an invisible, water-soluble alkaline gas present in the atmosphere of every poultry house. Ammonia stems from the chemical decomposition of uric acid in droppings by certain bacteria in the litter. Litter conditions and ventilation are the main factors affecting atmospheric ammonia concentration in poultry houses. Conventional thinking has been that ammonia levels are particularly high in houses where the same litter is used for successive flocks.

How does it affect the birds?

When ammonia gas is exposed to moisture, it reacts and forms a basic, corrosive solution called ammonium. This ammonium can harm the birds in numerous ways such as:

  • Damaging the respiratory system: When exposed to high concentrations of ammonium, the birds suffer damage to the mucous membranes of the respiratory system. This increases the susceptibility of birds to bacterial respiratory infection.
  • Damage to the eyes: High concentrations of ammonia in the atmosphere causes conjunctivitis and damages the cornea of the eyes. Clinical signs include swelling and reddening of the eyelids, reddening of the conjunctive and nictitating membrane, and partial or complete closure of the eyes.
  • Footpad Dermatitis (ammonia burns): When moisture and chemical irritants like ammonia combine in the litter during natural decomposition, the birds develop inflammatory reactions in the skin and even ulcers. The birds get lesions on their foot pads. These lesions can heal but they usually augment, causing blemishes to the feet at processing. 
  • High ammonium levels also impact overall livability, feed conversion, weight gain, and condemnation rate at processing.

What can AgriGro do to help??

AgriGro offers an all natural litter treatment for use in poultry houses that is safe to the environment, non-corrosive to equipment, and safe and user-friendly to the applicator as well as to the birds.

With AgriGro’s IndigoLT you will see:

  • lower ammonia levels
  • reduced pathogens and disease
  • decreased insect pressure
  • dryer litter
  • less cake
  • higher nutrient value
  • and improved overall bird health

Sound too good to be true? Check out this discussion between Shannon Smith, Co-Owner of AgriGro, and Eddie Todd, turkey grower in Bergman, Arkansas, about Eddie’s operation and experience since he began using IndigoLT.


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Shannon Smith & Poultry Grower Eddie Todd Discuss IndigoLT® – Poultry Litter Treatment

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Shannon W. Smith, Co-Owner, Vice President, and Sales Executive of AgriGro Marketing Inc., recently met with Turkey Grower Eddie Todd in Bergman, Arkansas to discuss his operations and experience since beginning the AgriGro Livestock program.

Four years ago, Eddie was losing about 200 birds each day to cellulitis. Todd knew he had to do something to resolve this issue quickly, so when he heard about IndigoLT he decided to give it a shot. Following the application of IndigoLT, the cellulitis problem decreased dramatically and it has not been a major issue for his turkey operation since.  

 

Here are some of the highlights Eddie discusses in the video:

“Been using the products 4-5 years.” 

“We tried it because of a problem with cellulitis” 

“Their feet are inspected looking for burnt pads we don’t have that issue because we’re on dry litter.” 

“Various products have come and gone but now this one I’m sold on it.” 

“We had a massive blow up of cellulitis and we knew we had to do something, I tried it on our first flock and I actually saw some results, but I was still skeptical but we didn’t have that blow up on the next flock.” 

“I was thinking you’re just putting that little dab on there, what’s that going to do, then the second flock was even better.” 

“The third flock, we used to penicillin, the floors stayed so much better, birds performed better, so after the third flock we were hooked.”  

“Our litter’s dryer, we see less insects…along with the insect control the birds are just happier. You’ve got a healthy bird in there with healthy feet, not smelling the ammonia then they are going to perform for you. That’s the bottom line.”

 

IndigoLT®  all-natural poultry litter treatment – Video interview

 

What Sets IndigoLT Poultry Litter Treatment Apart from the Competition?

While other litter treatments may immediately reduce ammonia levels for a few days, they fail to sustain these levels over any length of time and do very little to affect actual litter quality.  IndigoLT works differently, causing ammonia levels to decrease throughout the entire grow out. Perhaps more importantly, with the use of IndigoLT, litter quality is dramatically improved as evidenced by dryer litter, improved nutrient values, lower levels of disease causing bacteria, and an overall healthier growing environment 

IndigoLT is a low rate liquid product designed to be used alone or with other litter treatment products and can be applied quickly and easily on top of poultry litter with any agricultural sprayer.  The product is non-corrosive, which means that it won’t damage houses or equipment. 

Enhance Your Poultry Operation with IndigoLT

Are you searching for an effective, all-natural litter treatment that is safe for the environment as well as safe on equipment, growers and birds? If so, look no further than IndigoLT. AgriGro’s litter treatment can help lower ammonia levels, reduce pathogens and disease, reduce caking, and provide an environment that is conducive to improving overall bird health. Speak to Shannon Smith today to learn more about IndigoLT Poultry Litter Treatment or order online to get started.

 

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NutriZyme Decreases Flies on Horses

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Luke Hammond – Southwest U.S. Dealer – shares a video testimony of Arizona Horseshoer, Brian Moffitt, on NutriZyme – Water & Feed Additive. Moffitt sees big results at Blazing M. Ranch after using NutriZyme in their 2019 production.

Highlights:
  • Cuts down tremendously on flies
  • Horse in a lot better shape
  • Coats are more shiny
  • Horse is more comfortable – not fighting back
  • Better joints / Less stiff
  • Better coat health

 

 

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Flashback Friday – What Livestock Already Instinctively Know

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Check this out! Shannon Smith shares footage of fescue hay grown with AgriGro Prebiotics all the way back to 1996!

 

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At AgriGro we make it a habit to deliver excellence and we have the track record to back it up.

Dating back to the early 1990’s, AgriGro has been on a strict regimen of testing and retesting our various product lines to insure consistent performance in the field along with profitability for the farmer. We have spent a tremendous amount of time, effort, and expense to verify and prove the excellent value and efficacy of our agricultural products, even on our own farm.

See the difference for yourself that the animals already instinctively know.

 

“

My name is Shannon Smith, this is a video that was shot in Feb. of 1996. It’s Bermuda grass hay raised in Arkansas under center pivot fertilized according to Arkansas University recommendations verses Fescue hay raised on Living Waters Ranch with the AgriGro program. 

We are going to see these bales fed side by side. The first bale that’s rolled out is a Bermuda grass bale.  It’s rolled out to a herd of about 90 cows. It was the last bale that we had, that’s why we filmed this when we did. The second bale that will be rolled out is Living Waters Ranch Fescue hay and you will see eventually all 90 of these cows will leave the Bermuda grass hay and go over to the Fescue hay. 

The Bermuda grass hay was horse quality hay sold mostly to horse people themselves, it’s very, very good hay, however it was not in comparison to our Fescue hay raised on our program. 

Again, I would tell you to note the condition of the cows as you look at them.  This was filmed February 14th, 1996 – the dead of winter. You can tell by looking there is no grass to speak of at all. The cattle are extremely fleshy and healthy and they look more like they are in the dead of summer than they do in the dead of winter. Again they are very, very healthy. Note each cow leaving the Bermuda going over to the Fescue. 

The protein consumption would drop dramatically when we were feeding our Fescue hay.  They would consume about a quarter of a pound a day on our Fescue hay. When we would feed the Bermuda hay alone they would jump their protein consumption to a pound and a half to two pounds. Which is indicative of the quality of hay itself. 

The Bermuda was very, very good hay. Again, the cows would walk across and try the Bermuda, but then walk back to the fescue. 

The next morning, you could see where the Bermuda grass hay was fed.  You could tell where all 100 of those bales were fed. Where we fed our Fescue hay you could tell they lick it off the ground. The only way you could tell where that bale of hay was fed was where the manure was left behind.

“

 

1996 Hay Comparison:

 

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