"...we get excellent ammonia control at two-thirds the cost of other litter treatments we've used." (Mark Massey, Owner, Wing & A Prayer Farm, Salisbury, Maryland)

After trying various litter treatments for much of the past decade, Wing & A Prayer Farm in Salisbury, Md., found a way to limit ammonia while making its operations more efficient.

"When we switched to Al+Clear alum in 1997, we realized a host of benefits," says Mark Massey*, owner of Wing & A Prayer. "The main thing is that it keeps ammonia extremely low during our two-week brood period, so we use less ventilation and heat. I estimate we get excellent ammonia control at two-thirds the cost of other litter treatments we've used.

"Beyond this, we can apply it up to two weeks before chicks go into the house. This flexibility is important. We are not forced to use it at a set time. This was the case with our last litter treatment, which had to be spread the day before chick placement. I really appreciate not having to treat litter on that last busy day as we preheat our houses to over 90 degrees."

Wing & A Prayer Farm grows 113,000 broilers at a time in four houses: three measuring 45 by 560 ft. and one at 36 by 446 ft. Broilers are placed when they are less than a day old and grown to seven weeks.

Massey changes his litter every two years, or after 11 growouts. His ongoing litter treatment program is straightforward ­ he cakes out between flocks and then broadcasts Al+Clear alum. He also sprays a disinfectant after every other flock and adds insecticide every three flocks.

"In working with Al+Clear, I simply have my supplier load up a fertilizer spreader," he says. "I then pull the spreader through each house with a tractor 3 to 14 days before the chicks arrive. I typically lay down 75 lb. per 1000 sq. ft. in the brood chamber, which in my operation accounts for about 40% of each house. One person does all four houses in about an hour."

Massey has experimented with Al+Clear alum over the past three years and has adapted it to many situations, for instance:

• He has applied it beneath drinker lines, especially in summer, because the moisture that accumulates there fosters ammonia generation. He uses about 100 lb. of alum per line in a strip that is 3-ft. wide and 220-ft. long.
   
• He sometimes adds Al+Clear alum to an entire house and not just the brood chamber, especially in winter. This extends ammonia control after he raises the curtains and releases chicks to the rest of the house. This practice cuts fan time and propane costs for much of the rest of the growout.
   
• He also may vary the dose depending on the age of the litter. For instance, a 50-lb. rate often works well with litter during the first few growouts.
   

Before changing to Al+Clear alum, Massey had used PLT and phosphoric acid before that. The acid added phosphorus to the litter, which is undesirable from an environmental standpoint.

"The other products had an objectionable odor, which is not the case with Al+Clear," he says. "The alum also seems to last somewhat longer and keep my litter dryer.

"In summary, Al+Clear has improved my overall operation. It is easy to apply and reduces how often I ventilate. And best of all, it is effective at less total cost than other litter treatments I've worked with."

• Excellent ammonia control during two-week brood period
• 2/3 the total cost of other litter treatments
• Less need for ventilation and heating
• Apply it up to 2 weeks before chicks go into house
• One person applies it in 4 houses in about an hour
• Little odor and dryer litter.

*Mark Massey, a poultry grower on Maryland's Eastern Shore for 10 years, has been in agriculture all his life. He also has built poultry houses and sold equipment for poultry operations. He has a BS in Agriculture from the University of Georgia.

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