Economic and Environmental Assessment of Proactive Phosphorus Control Measures for Broiler Operations

Duck Creek watershed, a small watershed in east-central Texas, experienced an influx of broiler growing operations in the later half of the 1990s. Preliminary results indicated that year 2000 levels of broiler litter land application do not pose a water quality concern but that a significant expansi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental practice 2005-06, Vol.7 (2), p.74-86
Main Authors: Keplinger, Keith O., Abraham, Joju, Hauck, Larry M., Saleh, Ali
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alum
Aluminum
Aluminum sulfate
Aquatic birds
Creeks
Economic models
Economics
Environmental assessment
Environmental impact
Environmental protection
Investigations
Litter
Phosphorus
Poultry feed
Poultry production
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Soils
Water quality
Watersheds
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Summary:Duck Creek watershed, a small watershed in east-central Texas, experienced an influx of broiler growing operations in the later half of the 1990s. Preliminary results indicated that year 2000 levels of broiler litter land application do not pose a water quality concern but that a significant expansion of broiler production would more than double ambient phosphorus loads in the watershed. Environmental and economic modeling were used to assess the effects of phosphorus control measures designed to proactively mitigate the environmental impacts from further broiler industry expansion. Results of best management practice (BMP) simulations indicate that ambient phosphorus loads from broiler litter can be reduced by reducing the rate of litter application, by hauling off litter, by adding phytase to broiler feed, and by amending broiler litter with aluminum sulfate (alum). Reduced-rate scenarios were substantially more cost-effective than haul-off scenarios. Simulations of the phytase and alum BMPs produced net economic benefits in addition to reducing phosphorus loads. Model results thus indicated that relatively low-cost BMP options or ones yielding net monetary benefits (e.g., phytase and alum) would protect water quality in Duck Creek in the event of a low, moderate, or even a very significant expansion of the regional broiler industry. Subsequent to this research, the broiler integrator conducted field trials that confirmed the economic benefits of phytase but not alum. Alum addition did not produce the expected economic benefits, primarily because of the regional climate, which differed from that assumed in the analysis.
ISSN:1466-0466
1466-0474
DOI:10.1017/S1466046605050118