Vermicomposting of Poultry Litter Using Eisenia Foetida

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of microbial pre-composting, pH adjustment, feeding frequency and C/N ratio on vermicomposting of poultry litter. Poultry litter, whether raw, microbially pre-composted, or pH adjusted, needed bulking material for the survivability of earthworms. The earthworm biomass increased as C/N ratio increased from "As Is" to 50; however, most of the treatments reached a maximum earthworm growth at C/N of 50, with no significant differences for C/N ratio of 50 and above. The pH adjusted poultry litter and raw poultry litter at the feeding frequency of 1/8-weeks did not produce any positive growth, showing the need for microbial pre-composting for successful vermicomposting in windrows. The concentrations of volatile solids were found to be lower at C/N ratios of 30 and 50 as compared to 70 and above