MCU14/0028 Appendix 3 chicken-meat-guidelines

                                              -    The optimum moisture content for
                                                   carcass composting is around 50 per
                                                   cent.
                                              -    Carcasses should be composted for
                                                   between 4 and 6 weeks (refer to FSA
                                                   Consulting – Meat Chicken Technical
                                                   Environmental Note 5 Composting
                                                   Carcasses in Open Bays and Piles).

                                           A10
                                           Spent litter must be applied to sufficient
                                           areas of land so that nutrient applications do
                                           not exceed:
                                            the rate at which a nutrient can be taken
                                               up by the plant and removed from the
                                               site
                                            the amount that can be safely stored in
                                               the soil
                                            the amount released to the atmosphere
                                               in an acceptable form.

                                           Note: Information relating to the utilisation of
                                           chicken litter can be found at:
                                           http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/27_15557.htm

                                           A11
                                           Spent litter should be applied when crops
                                           are actively growing or just after planting to
                                           ensure nutrient uptake and to minimise
                                           nutrient losses by leaching.

                                           Spent litter applied to bare soil should be
                                           incorporated as soon as possible after
                                           spreading.

                                           A12
                                           Avoid spreading spent litter on land that is:
                                            immediately adjacent to a watercourse
                                              (minimum 50 m buffer should be
                                              maintained)
                                            located within 250 m of tidal waters or a
                                              wetland
                                            subject to frequent flooding
                                            steep (greater than 10 per cent slope)
                                            rocky or highly erodible
                                            highly impermeable.

                                           A13
                                           Avoid spreading spent litter when it is
                                           excessively dry or wet to minimise dust and
                                           odour impacts.


Queensland Guidelines Meat Chicken Farms                                              32