Al+Clear^® Poultry Grade Alum improves the total house environment. No other commercial litter treatment holds litter pH as low for as long, especially during the critical early weeks of a growout. Al+Clear alum suppresses ammonia volatilization, reduces bird stress, and improves litter condition and ventilation programs. It also makes litter a more effective fertilizer by maintaining nitrogen content and reducing phosphorus runoff when the litter is spread on fields.

Al+Clear alum improves the productivity of broiler, breeder, egg and turkey houses and works in conjunction with all best management practices. It also offers growers a flexible program to help reach litter management, environmental and profitability goals.

• Long-lasting pH control in litter and on floors. Al+Clear alum acidifies litter and floors throughout a growout. It is a buffered acid that resists the rise in pH as manure builds in the litter, holding pH below levels that can stress the birds.
   
• Low airborne ammonia. Al+Clear alum consistently outperforms competing litter treatments as a way to prevent high ammonia levels which can have serious impacts on overall poultry health.
   
• Moisture reduction. Al+Clear alum limits available water in litter which helps control the key condition for ammonia volatilization.
   
• Less stress on birds. By controlling ammonia, lowering pH and reducing moisture, Al+Clear alum creates improved poultry house conditions. Studies (available upon request) show that these improved conditions lead to lower mortality and condemnation rates.
   
• Improved productivity. Birds raised on Al+Clear-alum-treated litter show increased weight gain and feed conversion, improving bird performance.
   
• Higher fertilizer value. Al+Clear alum improves nitrogen retention in litter. Studies show that available nitrogen (N) in treated litter is up to 90% more than in untreated litter (i.e., 800 lb. N/100 tons of litter, the average amount in a 20,000-bird house).
   
• Less phosphorus runoff. Litter treated with Al+Clear alum is low in soluble phosphorus, mini-mizing phosphorus runoff from fields, but allowing enough phosphorus uptake so crops are in balance with their nitrogen requirements.
   
• Ease of application. Apply Al+Clear alum while your equipment is winched out of the way, along with decaking, top dressing and other out-time activities. Use it for short layouts or up to 7 days before chick or bird placement in dry litter conditions.
   

Al+Clear alum (aluminum sulfate) is a dry acid salt that neutralizes alkalinity. As a buffered compound (i.e., it resists pH change), it holds total litter pH below 5 or 6 for an extended time. Litter surface pH is reduced to 3.5 in the short term. This dramatically retards generation of ammonia, which does not form in significant amounts until pH rises above 7. Al+Clear alum also reduces available water in the litter through hydrolysis as it is activated. The hydrolysis of aluminum is a series of reactions resulting in a controlled generation of acid. This effect is due to the aluminum present. Each aluminum that hydrolyzes generates three acid ions, more acid than with sodium acid salts that only provide one H+ (acid) ion, so you get more acid per pound of Al+Clear alum.

Al+Clear alum improves productivity when combined with good flock management. The application rate used should match your goals (see table). It is easy to use:

1. Apply it to decaked litter three to seven days before chick placement, during normal out-times. During short out-times, when extra moisture is present, apply it at any time before chick placement.
    
2. Distribute it evenly with a drop spreader, push or power rotary unit or other mechanical spreader.
    
3. For dry litter, leave Al+Clear alum on the litter surface. For higher moisture conditions, drag it lightly into the upper half-inch of litter, while releveling the floor.
    
4. If your litter is extremely dry, Al+Clear must be activated like any dry acid salt. Contact General Chemical for the activation process.
    
5. Prepare the house as usual to receive chicks. Ventilation need not begin until just before chick or bird placement.

We produce Al+Clear alum in the largest North America alum plant system and support it in many ways. Our senior poultry field representatives provide on-site customer service. We provide additional applications support through our Technical Center in Syracuse, N.Y. We operate a broad distribution network for Al+Clear alum, which is sold either directly or through buying cooperatives, farm stores and poultry supply outlets nationwide. It is available in bulk, supersacks or 50-lb. bags.

• Al+Clear
• Al+Clear Study Summary
• Al+Clear in Action 1
• Al+Clear in Action 2