DEHYDRATED POULTRY MEAL PRODUCED FROM FARM MORTALITIES

摘要

Alabama ranks third in the nation in broiler production and in 1997 produced over 950 million birds (Poultry Times, 1998). Unfortunately, ranking third in broiler production also means Alabama is third in producing poultry wastes. While 19 million broilers are processed weekly in Alabama, over 800 tons of poultry carcasses must be disposed of weekly in an environmentally sound manner. For a flock of 100,000 broilers grown to 49 days of age and averaging 0.1% daily mortality (4.9% total mortality), approximately one ton of farm mortalities require disposal (Edwards and Daniels, 1992). Disposing of mortalities has been identified by the poultry industry as the most serious environmental problems that may limit the future expansion in Alabama. There are four main methods of carcasses disposal in Alabama; incineration, composting, rendering, and open-bottom burial pits. Incineration is biologically the safest method of disposal, however it is expensive and produces air particulate pollution (Loehr, 1968). Composting dead birds has been shown to be biologically safe (Murphy and Handwerker, 1988) and produces a useful product, but the maintenance of a composter is extensive, requiring at least 30 minutes each day (Payne and Donald, 1989). Rendering of chicken carcasses is another acceptable method of disposal, but requires the close proximity of a rendering plant to be economically unfeasible. The easiest and least expensive method of carcass disposal has been open-bottom burial pits. However, concern for water quality, as well as the persistence of residues, has led to the banning of the construction of new burial pits in the State of Alabama since July 1996. An alternative method of carcasses disposal involving grinding and drying of frozen farm mortalities has been developed in the State of Alabama.