ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effect of Disinfectants on Physicochemical
Parameters of Litter, Microbiological Quality
of Poultry House Air, Health Status
and Performance of Broiler Chickens
T. Mituniewicz, J. Sowińska, A. Wójcik, K. Iwańczuk-Czernik,
D. Witkowska, J. Banaś
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Department of Animal and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering,
University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2008;17(5):745-750
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The applied disinfectants affected the improvement of physicochemical parameters of litter by decreasing
its moisture and pH.
It was demonstrated that the addition of decontaminating agents to litter resulted in a beneficial decline
in the microflora of poultry house air. The total count of mesophilic bacterium was reduced most effectively
by means of a disinfectant, whereas the total number of fungi and moulds – by calcium oxide (CaO). But no
differences were observed in ammonia concentration in the air of the hen houses examined.
In poultry houses in which disinfectants were added to litter, the reported death rate and culling percentage
were lower as compared to a control broiler house. Birds reared in a broiler house in which litter was
disinfected with CaO achieved the highest European Index of Productivity (EIP).