Protein components in animal feed have a significant impact on ammonia and odor emissions from livestock farming – the resulting emissions in the surrounding area regularly cause problems in practice. Not only are years-long delays in agricultural building permit procedures sometimes a reality, but in some German states, building regulations also allow authorities to retroactively intervene in existing and approved barns.

Several options exist in practice for influencing ammonia and odor emissions from broiler chickens – either by reducing protein or using alternative protein sources (see the final report on the EmiProt project, DaFNE No. 101024/1), or by adding additives during feed production. This final report presents the results of the trials conducted in cooperation with Green Innovation.

Before implementing alternative protein sources, supplementary feeds, or new formulations on a large scale, the domestic poultry industry needs reliable information about the potential effects of the components used. In this series of trials using a product from Green Innovation (PhytOxal, a 100% natural raw material consisting of a combination of 90% Oxilem and 10% Argat), the potential effects of this product on fattening performance (daily weight gain, final weight, feed conversion), the release of harmful gases (ammonia), and odor emissions in poultry fattening were investigated. Analytical analyses of the feed used, meat quality, and excrement were also conducted.

This report, which highlights the test series carried out with Green Innovation as a project partner, covers two fattening cycles conducted in the experimental barns of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein from the beginning of October 2020 to mid-March 2021.