Table 1 illustrates the nutrient composition of broiler chicken manure and manure products. The lines which represent one and two annual cleanouts per year show that small changes in management practices can change the nutrient composition of the manure products. Regulations that have been developed tend to penalize livestock producers. They are based on animal units. To compound the matter further, the 1,000 lb animal unit evolved from steers.
More appropriate regulations focus on nutrient production rather than animal production.
Nutrients are one of the primary concerns. The numbers in Table 1 illustrate that the same class of livestock will produce a variety of nutrient combinations depending on the manure production process. Focusing on the nutrient levels forces a knowledge of the nutrient levels in a producers manure products. This enhances the opportunities for markets to develop. It is also important that regulations on manure practices credit producers who are marketing their manure products.