Poultry farm practices

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of improving the environment within a poultry farming facility including reducing ammonia production in a poultry facility, inhibiting urease enzymes in poultry litter, reducing levels of pathogenic bacteria in poultry litter, improving productivity of poultry farms, reducing or preventing pododermatitis in poultry reared in mass production poultry facilities and controlling pests in poultry litter. Compositions, suitable for use in such methods, comprising at least one microorganism of the genus Bacillus and at least one biosurfactant wherein the biosurfactant is present in an amount of 2 mg/L to 7000 mg/L are also described.

1 . A method of improving the environment within a poultry farming facility comprising applying to poultry litter or poultry manure in the poultry farming facility a composition comprising at least one microorganism of the genus  Bacillus  and at least one biosurfactant, wherein the biosurfactant is present in the composition in an amount of between about 2 mg/L and 7000 mg/L. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the production of ammonia in a poultry farming facility is reduced or controlled, urease enzymes in poultry litter or poultry manure are reduced and/or inhibited, pathogenic bacteria in poultry litter is controlled and/or reduced, the productivity of the poultry facility is improved or pests in poultry litter are controlled. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein the pathogenic bacteria is selected from one or more of  Salmonella  spp.,  Campylobacter  spp.,  Staphylococcus  spp.,  Escherichia  spp.,  Pseudomonas  spp. and  Clostridium  spp. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the pathogenic bacteria is selected from one or more of  Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aerugenosa  and  Clostridium perfringens.    
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein the pest is darkling beetle larvae. 
     
     
         10 . A method of preventing or reducing poultry pododermatitis or gangrenous dermatitis in a poultry farming facility comprising applying to poultry litter in the poultry farming facility a composition comprising at least one microorganism of the genus  Bacillus  and at least one biosurfactant, wherein the biosurfactant is present in the composition in an amount of between about 2 mg/L and 7000 mg/L. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the composition is applied by spraying on the poultry litter. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the biosurfactant is present in an amount of 2 to 850 mg/L. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one microorganism of the genus  Bacillus  is at least one strain of  Bacillus subtilis.    
     
     
         14 . A composition comprising at least one microorganism of the genus  Bacillus  and at least one biosurfactant, wherein the biosurfactant is present in an amount of 2 mg/L to 7000 mg/L. 
     
     
         15 . A composition according to  claim 14  wherein the at least one microorganism of the genus  Bacillus  is present in an amount of 1×10 4  cfu/mL to 1×10 13  cfu/mL. 
     
     
         16 . A composition according to  claim 14  wherein at least one microorganism of the genus  Bacillus  is present in the vegetative state, as an endospore or a mixture of vegetative state and endospores. 
     
     
         17 . A composition according to  claim 14  wherein the microorganism is selected from  Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus popilliae  and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A composition according to  claim 17  wherein the microorganism is selected from  Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis  and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A composition according to  claim 14  wherein the  Bacillus subtilis  is RSA-203. 
     
     
         20 . A composition according to  claim 14  wherein the biosurfactant is selected from surfactin, lichenysin, fengycin, iturin and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A composition according to  claim 20  wherein the biosurfactant is selected from surfactin, lichenysin and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A composition according to  claim 21  wherein the biosurfactant is surfactin. 
     
     
         23 . A composition according to  claim 14  wherein the biosurfactant is present in an amount of 50 to 7000 mg/L. 
     
     
         24 . A composition according to  claim 14  further comprising a surfactant. 
     
     
         25 . A composition according to  claim 24  wherein the surfactant is an alkylbenzene sulfonic acid surfactant. 
     
     
         26 . A microorganism which is RSA-203 deposited with the ATCC on 9 Jan. 2013 under Accession No. PTA-13451. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the biosurfactant is present in an amount of 2 to 850 mg/L. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the at least one microorganism of the genus  Bacillus  is at least one strain of  Bacillus subtilis.