Nutrient-Recycling of Poultry Manure Using Aerobic Digestion
Project Lead: Marc Legault, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
The process involves adding water and oxygen to poultry manure (including litter and feathers) agitated in a large tank (aerobic digestion). The manure is broken down into its elemental nutrients to produce microbially rich nutrient water that is used in greenhouse crop production. The project is modeled after successful aquaponic aerobic digestion that is now going into commercial production. Basically, the project is grafting aquaponics technology onto poultry manure.
The project is addressing proof of concept – can poultry manure be used in the system? The trial needs to address issues such as sodium build-up, E. coil levels (must be zero or close to for greenhouse vegetable crops), and clarifying the nutrient solution. Economic analysis would be a future project.
The process is done in batches, so it works well with barn clean-outs. It can be used for all types of poultry manure. It might even include mortalities if a shredder is incorporated into the process.
The goal is to have these types of systems operating at greenhouses. Poultry manure would be trucked (and stored) to the greenhouses. The resulting microbially and nutrient rich water would be injected into the greenhouse irrigation system which will reduce fertilizer costs, promote root growth and plant health.
- Demonstrating nutrient and water recycling technologies — nutrients derived from poultry manure
- Canadian Poultry Magazine article citing Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s Aerobically Digested Poultry Manure to Grow Crops project at CDC North. Partial funding provided by SPFG
