Guidelines for poultry waste composting

Composting is the controlled biological decomposition of organic material such litter, layer manure, eggs, waste feed and carcasses. Compost is a safe, reusable product.

Poultry farms may be allowed to compost poultry waste and carcasses to reduce biosecurity hazards during an emergency animal disease response, such as avian influenza.

The Poultry waste composting guidelines cover:

  • the science of composting
  • site design and composting systems
  • composting systems process control
  • compost mix preparation
  • composting
  • curing
  • machinery washdown.

They include a checklist summarising the key things you need to consider when planning a poultry waste composting operation.

The guidelines were developed as part of the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program funded project PRJ-011301 Mass disposal preparedness for the poultry industries. They were written by Rod Jenner (Rosetta Management Consulting Pty Ltd), Angela Scott, Margaret Sexton and Wayne Mossop (Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia) and Kevin Wilkinson (Frontier Ag and Environment).

The poultry was composting guidelines are available online or to download as part of the Mass disposal preparedness for the poultry industries final report.

Download a copy of the composting guidelines summary fact sheet below.

Download Factsheet

Researcher details

Rodney Jenner
Rosetta Management Consulting Pty Ltd
rod_jenner@hotmail.com