Impact of Broiler Litter Bedding Types and Immobilizing Agents On Surface Runoff and Leaching Losses of Dissolved Organic C, Heavy Metals, Microbes and Veterinary Pharmaceutical Compounds From Forage Based System.

Recently poultry producers in the USA have begun using different types of bedding materials based on their costs and availabilities in production houses.  Release into the environment of contaminants from applied poultry litter (PL)  made with different bedding materials to pasture and forages has not been investigated, and little information is available on the concentrations and potential dynamics of those materials into the environment.  In a field study, two broiler litter types generated from two different bedding materials (rice hulls and pine chips) will be applied to bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) either alone or in combination with two immobilizing contaminant agents (gypsum and Zeolite ). The concentration of those contaminant materials including dissolved organic C, pathogens, heavy metals and veterinary pharmaceutical compounds such as antibiotics and hormones will be determined in both surface runoff and leaching losses using simulated rainfall. The size of the plots (14 by 7 feet) will be the same as the size of rain maker. A randomize complete block design with five treatments replicated three replications will be used. Rain will be applied to the plots one day, one week, two weeks and a month after broiler litter application. Runoff will be collected upon rain and leached water samples will be collected 24 h after rain. The samples will be analyzed and the results will be discussed in detail.