Definition:

5>627>6 <>5/*=. *5>6 2< *--.- =8

98>5=;B 52==.; 27 =1. 98>5=;B 18><. =8 ;.->,.

*66872* ?85*=252C*=287

Purpose:

"?.; 1*5/ 8/ =1. 72=;80.7 .A,;.=.- +B

,12,4.7< 2< 58<= =8 =1. *=68<91.;. *<

*66872* +./8;. =1. 52==.; 2< ;.68?.- /;86

98>5=;B 18><.< %.<.*;,1 1*< <18@7 =1*=

*5>6 *--2=287< =8 98>5=;B 52==.; 0;.*=5B

;.->,.< *66872* .62<<287< 8@.;

*66872* 5.?.5< 27 98>5=;B 18><.< ->. =8

*5>6 *--2=287< ;.<>5= 27 1.*?2.; +2;-< +.==.;

/..- ,87?.;<287 *7- 58@.; 68;=*52=B 5>6

*--2=287< =8 98>5=;B 52==.; *5<8 9;.,292=*=.<

918<918;>< 27=8 * /8;6 @12,1 2< 78= @*=.;

<85>+5. '12< 0;.*=5B ;.->,.< 918<918;><

;>78// /;86 /2.5-< /.;=252C.- @2=1 98>5=;B

52==.; *< @.55 *< 918<918;>< 5.*,1270 5>6

*--2=287< *5<8 ;.->,. =1. 7>6+.; 8/

9*=180.7< 27 52==.;

How Does This Practice Work:

5>6 <18>5- +. *9952.- =8 98>5=;B 52==.;

*= * ;*=. .:>2?*5.7= =8 
 	+B @.201=

*5>66*7>;. 8; =B92,*5 +;825.;

89.;*=287< 0;8@270 <2A @..4 85- +2;-< =12<

2< .:>2?*5.7= =8 *--270 	
 =8 	 5+< *5>6

9.; +2;- 8; 
 =87< 8/ *5>6 9.; 18><. 9.;

/58,4 2/ 				 +2;-< *;. 27 .*,1 18><. '1.

;.->,=287 27 *66872* .62<<287< 2< ->. =8

=1. *,2- 9;8->,.- @1.7 *5>6 2< *--.- =8 =1.

52==.; '12< *,2- ,87?.;=< *66872* =8

*66872>6 @12,1 2< 78= <>+3.,= =8

?85*=252C*=287 '1. ;.->,=287 27 52==.; 9 *5<8

,*><.< 9*=180.7 7>6+.;< =8 -.,;.*<.

5>627>6 /;86 *5>6 ;.*,=< @2=1

918<918;>< =8 /8;6 *7 27<85>+5. *5>627>6

918<91*=. ,8698>7- =1*= 2< /*; 5.<<

<><,.9=2+5. =8 ;>78// 8; 5.*,1270

Where This Practice Applies and

Its Limitations:

'12< 9;*,=2,. *9952.< =8 *55 98>5=;B

89.;*=287< =1*= 1*?. -;B 52==.; +;825.;

+;..-.; *7- =>;4.B 18><.< '1.;. *;. 78

478@7 5262=*=287< 8/ =12< 9;*,=2,.

Effectiveness:

5>6 *--2=287< ;.<>5= 27 5.<< 72=;80.7

+.270 58<= ->. =8 *66872* ?85*=252C*=287

66872* /5>A.< /;86 *5>6=;.*=.- 52==.;

1*?. +..7 <18@7 =8 +. 	58@.; =1*7

78;6*5 52==.;  88;. .= *5 			 '12<

;.<>5=< 27 * 1201.; 72=;80.7 ,87=.7= 8/ =1.

52==.; @12,1 +88<=< ,;89 B2.5-< 8@.;

*66872* 5.?.5< 27 =1. ;.*;270 /*,252=2.< *5<8

269;8?. 98>5=;B 9;8->,=287 *7- 6*4. =1.

.7?2;876.7= <*/.; /8; *0;2,>5=>;*5 @8;4.;<

%.->,270 *=68<91.;2, *66872*

.62<<287< @255 *5<8 ;.<>5= 27 5.<< *2;

9855>=287 <>,1 *< /27. 9*;=2,>5*=. 6*==.;

*66872* 2< * 9;.,>;<8; =8 /27. 9*;=2,>5*=.

6*==.; *,2- 9;.,292=*=287 *7- *=68<91.;2,

72=;80.7 -.98<2=287 ';.*=270 98>5=;B 52==.;

@2=1 *5>6 2< *5<8 87. 8/ =1. 68<= .//.,=2?.

6.=18-< 8/ ;.->,270 918<918;>< ;>78// /;86

/2.5-< /.;=252C.- @2=1 52==.; 5>6

*9952,*=287< =8 98>5=;B 52==.; 1*?. +..7

<18@7 =8 ;.->,. 918<918;>< ;>78// +B 

/;86 <6*55 958=< &1;.?. .= *5 
  *7- +B

/;86 <6*55 @*=.;<1.-<  88;. *7-

-@*;-< 		

'1. 5870=.;6 .//.,=< 8/ *995B270 *5>6

=;.*=.- 52==.; =8 5*7- 1*?. 27-2,*=.- =1*= =12<

9;*,=2,. 2< <><=*27*+5.  88;. *7- -@*;-<

		 		 &85>+5. 918<918;>< 5.?.5< 27

<825< /.;=252C.- @2=1 *5>6=;.*=.- 52==.; *;.

<2072/2,*7=5B 58@.; =1*7 =1*= 27 <825<

/.;=252C.- @2=1 78;6*5 52==.; .7,. =1.;. 2<

5.<< 918<918;>< 5.*,1270 @2=1 *5>6=;.*=.-

52==.;  88;. *7- -@*;-< 		 870

=.;6 <=>-2.< ,87->,=.- +B 88;. *7-

-@*;-< 		 <18@.- =1*= .A,1*70.*+5.

*5>627>6 5.?.5< 27 <825< /.;=252C.- @2=1

78;6*5 *7- *5>6=;.*=.- 52==.; *;. 58@ 5.<<

=1*7 
 60 540 <825 *7- *;. 78=

Treating Poultry Litter with

Aluminum Sulfate (Alum)

>=18;< .6*25

#12529 88;.*;<><-*08?

Developed by:

Livestock GRACEnet

leading the development

of mitigation practices to

reduce emissions from

livestock production

For more information

visit us at:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/

livestockGRACEnet

USDA is an equal

opportunity provider and

employer
<2072/2,*7=5B -2//.;.7= @1.;.*< 958=< /.;=252C.- @2=1 =1.

<*6. *68>7= 8/72=;80.7 /;86 *66872>6 72=;*=. 1*?.

?.;B 1201 .A,1*70.*+5. *5>627>6 >9 =8 
 		 60 540

<825 88;. *7- -@*;-< 		 *5<8 <18@.- =1*=

=*55 /.<,>. B2.5-< /;86 5870=.;6 <=>-2.< @.;. 1201.<=

@2=1 *5>6=;.*=.- 52==.; /8558@.- +B 78;6*5 52==.; *7-

58@.<= @2=1 *66872>6 72=;*=.

Cost of Establishing and Putting Practice

in Place:

';.*=270 98>5=;B 52==.; @2=1 *5>6 2< * ,8<= .//.,=2?.

+.<= 6*7*0.6.7= 9;*,=2,. ->. =8 =1. .,87862, ;.=>;7<

/;86 269;8?.- 98>5=;B 9;8->,=287 *7- ;.->,.- .7.;0B

,8<=< 5>6 ,8<=< *+8>= 	=87 < 6.7=287.-

.*;52.; =@8 =87< 8/ *5>6 <18>5- +. *9952.- =8 * =B92,*5

+;825.; 18><. */=.; .*,1 /58,4 88;. .= *5 			

<18@.- =1*= =1. .,87862, ;.=>;7< /;86 =12< 9;*,=2,.

@.;. 	 /8; =1. 0;8@.; *7-  /8; =1. 27=.0;*=8;

,869*7B /8; * ,86+27.- ;.=>;7 8/ 
	 '12< 2<

*568<= =@2,. =1. ,8<= 		 =8 =;.*= =1. 18><.

;.<>5=270 27 * +.7./2=,8<= ;*=28 *99;8*,1270 

Operation and Maintenance:

5>6 2< 78;6*55B *9952.- +.=@..7 .*,1 /58,4 8/

+2;-< ;B *5>6 ,*7 +. *9952.- @2=1 * 7>6+.; 8/

-2//.;.7= <9;.*-.;< <>,1 *< -.,*4270 6*,127.<

/.;=252C.; <9;.*-.;< 6*7>;. <9;.*-.;< 8; -;89

<9;.*-.;< 9952,*=8;< <18>5- *5@*B< @.*; 08005.< /8;

.B. 9;8=.,=287 *7- * -><= 6*<4 =8 *?82- +;.*=1270 *5>6

-><= 58?.< <18>5- *5<8 +. @8;7 =8 9;.?.7= <427

2;;2=*=287 '8 27<>;. =1. ,12,4.7< -8 78= ,87<>6. =1.

0;*7>5.< 8/ *5>6 2= 2< +.<= =8 =255 =1. 9;8->,= 27=8 =1.

52==.; '12< ,*7 +. -87. @2=1 * 52==.; -.,*4.; 8; @2=1

*7B 8=1.; -.?2,. =1*= 91B<2,*55B 62A.< =1. *5>6 27=8

=1. 52==.; 2:>2- *5>6 2< 78;6*55B 875B *9952.- +B *

,.;=2/2.- 9;8/.<<287*5 *9952,*=8; '1.;. *;. =@8 =B9.<

8/ 52:>2- *5>6  78;6*5 52:>2- *5>6 
*5>6 *7-

*,2- *5>6 *5>6 ,2- *5>6 2< 9;./.;;.- 27

<2=>*=287< @1.;. =1. 52==.; 2< ?.;B -;B <27,. 2= *,=2?*=.<

:>2,45B '8 *-- =1. .:>2?*5.7= 8/ 87. =87 8/ -;B *5>6

	 0*5587< 8/ 52:>2- *5>6 8; 
  0*5587< 8/ *,2- *5>6

2< 7..-.-

References:

 88;. # ; & )*=427<  *;6.7 *7- #

.*>7. 		
 ';.*=270 98>5=;B 52==.; @2=1 *5>6

(72?.;<2=B 8/;4*7<*< 889.;*=2?. A=.7<287 *,=

&1..= &		#
	
!

 88;. # ; ' *72.5 *7- % -@*;-< 			

%.->,270 918<918;>< ;>78// *7- 2712+2=270 *66872*

58<< /;86 98>5=;B 6*7>;. @2=1 *5>627>6 <>5/*=. 

7?2;87 $>*5 


 88;. # ; *7- % -@*;-< 		 870=.;6

.//.,=< 8/ 98>5=;B 52==.; *5>6=;.*=.- 52==.; *7-

*66872>6 72=;*=. 87 *5>627>6 *?*25*+252=B 27 <825<

 7?2;87 $>*5 

 	





 88;. # ; *7- % -@*;-< 		 870=.;6

.//.,=< 8/ 98>5=;B 52==.; *5>6=;.*=.- 52==.; *7-

*66872>6 72=;*=. 87 918<918;>< *?*25*+252=B 27 <825<

 7?2;87 $>*5 
 
 


&1;.?. % # 88;. ' *72.5 % -@*;-<

*7-   255.; 
  %.->,=287 8/ 918<918;><

;>78// /;86 /2.5-*9952.- 98>5=;B 52==.; ><270 ,1.62,*5

*6.7-6.7=<  7?2;87 $>*5 

 	




For Further Information:

87=*,= #12529 88;. *= 

 8;

912529688;.*;<><-*08?

"; B8> ,*7 ,87=*,= B8>; 58,*5 ,87<.;?*=287 -2<=;2,=

(&!%& 8; 889.;*=2?. A=.7<287 &.;?2,.

8//2,.

This practice falls under the NRCS

Conservation Practice Standard 591

(Amendments for Treatment of

Agricultural Waste)