Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 3 April 2021

ISSUE FOCUS 52 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2021 MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM POULTRY Sustainability and safeguarding the environment are key issues for the poultry industry. The industry is proactively managing its environmental obligations in the face of toughening environmental legislation and governmental initiatives, particularly where ammonia and nitrogen output is a focus. There are several approaches the industry can use including the use of feed additives that can directly influence ammonia production and therefore improve nitrogen utilisation. L ivestock production produces gaseous emis- sions. It’s a simple, clear, unavoidable fact. Whether it’s methane from belching and flatulent cattle, hydrogen sulphide from swine manure or am- monia from poultry droppings, pollutant gases from livestock production make their way into the envi- ronment and potentially damage ecosystems. Sustainability and safeguarding the environment are key issues for many industries, including live- stock. But the livestock industry is already taking proactive steps to manage its environmental impact while legislation and governmental initiatives push hard at the heels to make quicker progress. There are several tools available to help lower emissions and meet environmental obligations and feed additives, such as Quillaja saponaria , are one such example. LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AS A SOURCE OF GASEOUS POLLUTANTS Estimates on the level of different pollutants from livestock are highly variable and subject to different in- terpretation but estimates suggest 0.4 to 15 kg of CO 2 equivalents are produced for 100 g of animal protein alone, before considering the contribution of processing and supporting industries, such as cereal production for feed etc. If we look at green-house gases (GHG) as a group, the literature suggest livestock production con- tributes anywhere from 7 to 18% of GHG emissions. While levels of pollutants are open to discussion, there is one area of consensus: pollutants such as ammonia can cause considerable damage to the en- vironment. Excess nitrogen in manure spread onto land leads to acidification of soil and environmen- David Harrington teamTWO Solutions, Denmark Sebastián Decap Plantae Labs, Chile