Benefits from poultry manure — no chicken feed
THE HINDU
Suguna Poultry Farm at Rasakapalayam near Pollachi in Coimbatore district.(
Cheap, effective: At present India produces about 6.25 to 8 million tonnes of poultry manure annually.
A
GOOD and fertile soil is often compared to a womb. Often farmers do not
realize that a soil with poor fertility and poor yield are directly
linked.
“Except a few, there are many farmers in
the country who do not show interest in testing their soil for
micronutrient deficiencies.
In general, farmers apply
micronutrients only when crops show deficiency symptoms, while
micronutrient deficiencies decrease yields before symptoms appear,” says
Prof. D. Narahari, formerHead, Poultry Science, Tamil Nadu Veterinary
and Animal Sciences University, Chennai.
Several research
“Based
on several research works and surveys, the World Bank and the Asian
Development Bank have stated that enriching the soils with
micronutrients, by using organic fertilizers, not only impacts plant
deficiencies, but also on humans and animals, through the food chain,”
says Prof. Narahari.
Even in the case of those who
use chemical fertilizers and sprays, farmyard manure or vermicompost
forms the basic input for their fields before sowing and is a long
standing practice.
Soil rejuvenation
For
centuries now,farmers accept that organic manures of cattle, poultry
and green leaves wastes (mulching) rejuvenates their soil physically,
chemically, and biologically.
“Farmers in developed
countries are now more aware and are switching over to organic manures
resulting in more than 10 per cent drop in chemical fertilizer
production.
On the contrary, we in India are ignoring
the benefits of organic fertilizers and importing huge quantities of
chemical fertilizers,” says Prof. Narahari.
Confined to pockets
Though
cattle compost manure is known to our farmers not many are familiar
with poultry manure; because modern poultry farms have emerged in India
just four decades back, though confined to a few pockets.
Most crops, especially paddy, sugar cane, plantation crops, floriculture and horticultural crops respond well to poultry manure.
However, it is not that advisable for leguminous crops. Crops absorb the nitrogen in poultry manure similar to urea.
So they need lower doses and proper irrigation.
Cage manure
According
to Prof Narahari, for best results apply deep litter poultry manure at
half to one third doses and cage manure at one third to one fourth doses
of the cattle manure and water the crop immediately.
The
poultry manure can be pelletized and packed in 5-25kg capacity bags, as
in the case of developed countries, for use in home gardens and
nurseries.
Farmers with farms close to poultry farms use poultry manure regularly for their crops, with good returns.
Poultry
manure is a more concentrated source of crop nutrients, especially NPK
and calcium. Being naturally organic, it does not need composting and
can be applied directly to the fields from the farm.
“The
fertilizer value of one tonne of dried cage poultry manure is
equivalent to 100 kg urea, 150kg super phosphate, 50kg potash, 125kg
calcium carbonate, 30 kg sulphur, 12 kg sodium chloride, 10kg magnesium
sulphate, 5kg ferrous sulphate, 1kg manganese sulphate, zinc sulphate
and other trace minerals each and is available at a cheaper rate than
other market available inputs,” explains Prof. Narahari.
Foreign exchange
At
present India produces about 6.25 and 8.0 million tonnes of poultry
manure, sufficient to fertilize about 3.56 million hectares of land
annually, if properly utilized it can help save billions of foreign
exchange, by replacing huge imports of chemical fertilizers.
For
more information, contact Prof. D. Narahari, former Professor and Head,
Poultry Science, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal sciences University,
Chennai, email: narahari.devareddy@gmail.com, mobile: 94448-10639.
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