Response to Information Request - MCU12/0184

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                                                                                      Callaghan & Toth


6.1.1 Chicken Litter Application


The proposal involves collecting the chicken litter (i.e. bedding material, such as
straw/shavings, and chicken manure) and using as a fertiliser for the existing orchards on
the site. The chicken litter will be used instead of commercial fertiliser which is currently
used to fertilise the trees.


Raw chicken litter can be a valuable resource to optimise pasture production. It is mostly
organic matter and supplies nutrients, helps hold moisture, improves soil structure and
encourages organisms such as earthworms. Chicken litter contains the following main
components:
    .
       Nitrogen (N)
    .  Phosphorus (P)
    .  Potassium (K)
Chicken litter generally supplies too much P compared to Nand K so application needs to be
managed to prevent excess P building up in soils. Therefore application rates should be
determined by P requirements.


The existing application rate for the trees of commercial fertiliser will be matched by the
property manager by an equivalent amount of chicken litter.

The current regime includes using 11 kg of commercial fertiliser per year per avocado tree.
The use of chicken litter will require 50kg per year per tree (Bender,G)to achieve an
equivalent supply of nutrients and minerals. However, management of the farm will need to
undertake soil and leaf analysis of the trees to ensure sufficient nutrient and minerals are
being applied with the chicken litter and determine the required amounts of chicken litter.

There are an existing 7000 avocado trees and as such using the above figure
50kg/tree/year, a total of 7000 x 50kg         =
                                                   350,000kg of chicken litter will be required each year
to fertilise the trees.


Each shed will generate about 210,000kg (450m3)per year, which totals approximately
1 ,680,000kg (3,600m3)per year for the entire operation. The excess chicken litter will be
sold as fertiliser to other agricultural industries.


As such it is considered that there will be no increase of nutrients used on the avocado
orchard as a result of using chicken litter. The use of chicken litter is expected to increase
the organic content of the soil, moisture holding capacity and generally benefit the avocado
trees on the site.




6.1.2 Chicken Litter Storage
The storage area for chicken litter will be in a bunded contained area as shown on Plan 02
and will be covered with tarps to ensure there is no stormwater entry to this area and
therefore no polluted stormwater runoff from this area. As such the storage area will not be
a source of   pollutants on site.

The bunded area will be able to store a volume of 280m3 and will therefore be sufficient to
store litter for a few weeks prior to application to avocado trees or sale off-site.


Any excess litter will be sold as fertiliser to ensure bunded area is free to receive litter from
sheds as they are cleaned out.

                                                                                                   22
1209 Animal Husbandry   Top Forestry Rd, Ridgewood
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                                                                                           SWQMP
April 2013