ZEOLITE FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN FEED EFFICIENCY AND AMMONIA CONDITIONS IN THE OPERATING POULTRY FACILITIES

Ammonia is a major contributor to poor gradable egg production in laying hens and will stunt production in broiler operations. Numerous agricultural agencies across the US are now mandating ammonia levels be reduced and we expect Canadian agencies to follow. It is not uncommon for ammonia to reach concentrations of 100ppm in poultry operations, which is very near lethal to humans as well as animals. Zeolite will immediately work to control odours in your poultry operation, but the ammonia control will be something you notice in your bottom line and production quality. Around the world and in North America, many farms have introduced Zeolite and realized greater production, animal health and welfare by feeding 1-2% Zeolite of the total feed input.

What does Zeolite do?

• Increase solubility of phosphate in poultry, as zeolite exchanges calcium from Dicalcium phosphate and makes the phosphate more soluble and better utilized for bones. This calls for a 50% reduction in dicalcium phosphate in feed after testing.
• Increased production, overall gradable eggs, egg quality and egg shell thickness.
• Lower Mortality
• Improved nitrogen content from waste manure and compost. Zeolite fixes nitrogen in the manure waste so that it is ready for plants to uptake but is not water soluble, so it wont runoff with rain. 

Using zeolite found that Leghorn chickens required less food and water and still gained as much weight in a 2-week trial as birds receiving a control diet. Feed efficiency values (FEV) were markedly higher at all levels of Zeolite substitution. Feedstuffs containing zeolite gave rise to efficiencies more than 20 percent greater than those of normal rations (Table 1). The droppings of groups receiving zeolite diets contained up to 25 percent less moisture than those of control groups. Consider of 16.5% crude Protein and 66% digestible nutrients. Aflatoxin Control in Poultry.A research study reveals zeolite to be effective and more than offsets the detrimental effects offeeding aflatoxin contaminated feed. Broilers fed 20 pounds of zeolite perton (1%) of finished feed containing 115 ppm of aflatoxin showed improved feed conversion by 5.8 points and the body weight by 5.3 points versus the 115 ppm afatoxin control feed. Broilers fed the Zeolite rations containing 115 ppm aftoxin had a lower feed conversion. Tests were carried out on 48-day-old Leghorns over a 14-day period, 30 birds/group. Normal rations on by 1.1 points and higher body weight by 3.7 points than the broilers fed rations containing no zeolite and no aflatoxin.

Feed requirements:

Substitute 1% of total feed input with clinoptilolite zeolite.