It’s Time to Think About Pad Treatments

The dirt pads of poultry houses will absorb ammonia from the litter over time. The longer birds have been raised in the house, the more ammonia that is absorbed into the pad. It isn’t unusual to have 60 PPM of ammonia at bird placement on new litter due to the ammonia release from the pad itself.

As the ammonia content of the dirt pad goes up, so does the pH – on average to a 8.0-10.0. Plus, many disinfectants have a very high pH that are inactivated in the presence of organic materials, meaning they can’t disinfect the dirt pad and create a favorable environment for birds.

Benefits of Pad Acidification with PLT

Applying PLT – poultry litter amendment to the dirt pad has been shown to:

  • lower pH
  • eliminate ammonia
  • improve bird performance
PLT Salt Study

A Study of Pad Acidification

Research done in 2019 showed that application of sodium bisulfate (PLT) to the house pad significantly reduced the pH of the pad material1, whereas salt application had no effect on pad pH.

Acidification of materials such as litter to a very low pH can reduce ammonia and odor causing bacteria2, therefore creating a more favorable environment for birds inside the house.

1Payne, JB and Watkins, SW. 2019. Efficacy of Sodium Bisulfate or Sodium Chloride for Reducing Broiler House Floor Microbial Populations.

2Hardin, B. E., C. S., and Roney. 1989. Effects of pH on selected bacteria. Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Alabama.