Effects of ammonia and methods of controlAmmonia can cause big problems for broiler producers if it is not not managed appropriately. Ammonia (NH3) is a form of nitrogen that has the potential to create odors, impact air and water quality, and animal and human health (1) . Ammonia is a colorless irritant gas, created from animal waste by microbial activity. By spending money to control ammonia in homes, the farmer has the potential to recoup that money and make more profit. Many farmers will tell you they have low ammonia levels, but the truth is we can't smell ammonia until it's at 20 ppm; however, the human nose gets used to the smell. Ammonia levels of 50 ppm in a chicken coop can seriously stunt the growth of birds. With larger birds, the loss can be as much as half a pound per bird. Studies show that even levels as low as 25 ppm can affect birds. Birds can go blind if exposed to high levels of ammonia long enough. Ammonia during colder months, when houses are tightly closed, can cause runts in a flock. It is shown that high levels can create 10-15% runts. If runts are present, what happens when drinkers and feeders are raised? The bird has no opportunity to mature and cannot be sent to the processing plant. Experiments have shown that 50 ppm of ammonia will cause a weight loss of approximately half a pound during a typical 7-week broiler grow-out. With 20,000 birds in the coop and paid at the rate of $0.045 per pound, this translates to a loss of $450 per coop (6). In addition to the negative impact of high NH3 levels in a poultry facility on birds, they cause health problems for birds. the guards of these establishments. The high levels of NH3 sometimes seen in a chicken coop have also become a concern for the atmosphere outside the po...... middle of paper ...... although the aluminum + Ca( OH)2 reduced ammonia losses by 57%. A follow-up study looked at the use of aluminum, ferric chloride, ferrous sulfate, and phosphoric acid on broiler litter. Each of these treatments resulted in a decrease in ammonia loss, but again, aluminum was deemed the best option because ferric chloride is not cost effective, ferrous sulfate exhibits toxicity, and the Phosphoric acid contributes to phosphorus problems associated with land application. McWard and Taylor found similar results in reducing ammonia by testing both alum and sodium bisulfate (2). Ammonia will always play a major role in the poultry industry. How you manage it will depend on the success of your birds. As noted above, many harmful elements are associated with high ammonia levels and must be regularly checked and maintained with adequate compounds or waste..