Caution! - Poultry litter as fertiliser

Recently we have confirmed cases of botulism, a disease which causes paralysis, and generally leads to death. This is rare in NZ but much more common in Australia (Queensland) and the UK. It can happen in various situations but fertilising your pasture with chicken litter (often containing chicken carcasses) is a risk factor

To reduce the risk of botulism if fertilising with chicken litter, here are some recommendations:

• Ensure stock do not have direct access to chicken litter when it arrives on farm.

  
  

• Have chicken litter delivered on-farm close to the time of spreading. The longer chicken litter is stored on farm, the higher the rate of nutrient loss which increases the risk of polluting nearby water sources.

  
  

• Poultry carcasses should be removed from the litter before spreading as these will not break down and can harbour pathogenic organisms such as salmonella and botulism.

  
  

• Ensure the rate of fertiliser spread on the pasture is appropriate. Recommendation from DPI Tasmania, Australia is 15 cubic metres per hectare or less.

  
  

• The fertilised pasture should be destocked for at least 3 weeks after spreading poultry litter. If the pasture regrowth is slow or there is no rain/irrigation this destocking period should be increased.

  
  

• If applying to a silage paddock, do not make silage from the first regrowth post fertilising. This will decrease the risk of pathogens such as salmonella and botulism developing in the silage

If you are fertilising with chicken litter, and would like to know more, please contact us at the clinic.