As veterinarians, we can often get too focused on looking for a specific causative agent that might be responsible for what we are seeing in a flock in terms of respiratory or gut health or a loss of performance. While pathogens–viral, protozoal and otherwise—can be responsible for a specific disease condition we encounter, quite often it is the husbandry within the house that is the root of the problem.

Even though most poultry producers have specific brooding management programs, many flocks are affected by respiratory problems that can be directly attributed to a failure to follow those guidelines. The results of improper brooding management take the greatest toll later in a flock’s life, but early management is often overlooked as the source of later respiratory disease and performance declines. Learn about three basic steps to minimize disease and performance loss.

Contrary to consumer perception, broiler’s welfare status is better than at any time in the history of modern poultry production. The advent of new technology such as solid sidewall, tunnel ventilation and automated housing provides birds with comfortable living conditions. This new technology allows for unprecedented temperature consistency, humidity control and air quality for the betterment of bird welfare. Learn how to adopt and properly implement these technologies.

In a study that compared PLT® with two other litter amendments, only PLT-treated houses showed significantly less ammonia. Learn more about the performance of PLT as it relates to condemnations, weight and other factors.

Significant profit losses can occur from ammonia-caused performance decline, even at low levels. Learn how to avoid profit loss through ammonia management.

Environmental stressors, such as high fly density, can affect calf well-being. Sodium bisulfate (SBS) is an acidifier that reduces the pH of flooring and bedding, creating a medium that neither bacteria nor immature flies (also known as larvae or maggots) can thrive in.

This graph demonstrates how pH affects the effectiveness of chlorine in water.

A comparison study of three farms showed the wide reaching effects of PLT® litter amendment, including how it significantly and consistently lowered ammonia and litter pH for significant fuel savings during summer months.

The use of sodium bisulfate (SBS) for ammonia reduction is well documented. The profitable economics of its use is laid out in this study. Read the full report to learn about all the implications of SBS use.

Researchers studied the influence of various levels ammonia on bird. Results showed a variety of significant impacts including reductions in respiratory rates, food consumption and growth. Read the full study to learn more.

Researchers at Colorado State University evaluated the affects of ammonia and bronchitis vaccinations on bird performance and quality. One finding was significant increases in condemnations. Learn more about the study now.

Birds that are sufficiently afflicted with ascites do not thrive. However, PLT® litter acidifier has a significant effect on ascites.

Extensive research shows the detrimental effects of ammonia in poultry houses, including but no limited to irritation to the eyes and respiratory tract, decreased weight, breast blisters and more.

In this study, broilers were exposed to various levels of ammonia until 28 days. The ammonia was shown to adversely affect weight gains, feed conversion and mortality during brooding.

Acidifying amendments have been shown to be effective in reducing ammonia emissions from poultry operations. This study set out to evaluate what levels of PLT® were needed to maintain ammonia levels at or below 25 ppm during the grow-out period.

In this study on the effects of PLT® litter amendment on fuel costs and bird performance, the farms that used PLT® showed a significant drop in fuel costs due to the elimination of ammonia. Furthermore, bird weights improved generating additional revenue.

Sodium bisulfate (SBS), commonly used in the dairy industry to reduce bacterial counts in bedding and ammonia emissions, was shown to be effective in the mitigation of ammonia and alcohol emissions from fresh dairy slurry as well as other areas.