Using Composted Poultry Manure (Litter) in Mulched Vegetable Production1

What is poultry manure and litter? Poultry manure is the organic waste material from poultry consisting of animal feces and urine. Poultry litter refers to the manure mixed with some of the bedding material or lit-ter (wood shavings or sawdust) and feathers (Figure 1). This publication deals with litter. Poultry houses are regularly cleaned out by removing a thin layer of the bedding along with the manure (Figure 2). The most common source of poultry litter in Florida is from broiler houses (Figure 3). Most of the litter from poultry houses in northern Florida is composted under a covered structure for several weeks to start the decomposition process. Currently, there are no restrictions on the use of poultry manure for vegetable crop production. However, fresh animal manures are known to harbor human pathogens, such as E. Coli or Salmonella spp