Harmful effects

of ammonia on
birds

Syed Maqsood Haider Jaffery

 Factors affecting ammonia
production
Relative humidity
Water spillage
Poor ventilation Density
Poor litter management
Litter depth,
Litter PH Manure composition and PH
Health status production
Diet composition

House floor

High litter
moisture
High ammonia
 What is ammonia?
 Ammonia: is a colorless, highly irritant, alkaline gas which
is generated by microbial activity on faecal uric acid when the
litter is moist.
 Properties of Ammonia:
 It is a water soluble gas and can thus be absorbed in dust
particles and litter as well as mucus membranes.
 It is toxic to animal cells. The known symptoms of
ammonia poisoning include: conjunctivitis, coughing,
sneezing and dyspnoea.
 Effects on Performance
Ammonia levels and consequences:
-

 10 ppm: Trachea irritation (in turkeys).

 20 ppm: Increase rate of infection of Newcastle disease vaccination.
 25 ppm: Impaired growth rate and feed conversion. Reduced final
body weight.
 25 ppm- 50 ppm: Air sac inflamation
 50 ppm: Increased levels of keratoconjunctivitis.
 100 ppm: Increased chick mortality

People
+ can generally smell ammonia at concentrations between 20 and 30
ppm.
Factors affecting ammonia concentration in poultry
houses are litter conditions and air movement
(ventilation). Moisture content, pH and the temperature
of the litter, influence the degradation of uric acid by
bacteria.
Ammonia gas has a characteristic pungent odour.
At high concentrations it is irritating to mucous
membranes of the respiratory tract and the conjunctivae
and corneas of the eyes. Damage to the mucous
membranes of the respiratory system increases the
susceptibility of birds to bacterial respiratory infection,
especially E. coli infection.
At 50 & 75PPM NH3, broiler Wt. Reduction 17 &20%
respectively at 7 weeks age.
 Negative impact on overall liveability, weight gain,
feed conversion, condemnation rate at processing and
the immune system of the birds.
 The effect of ammonia gas on the mucosal surface of
the trachea ranges from paralysis of cilia, to
deciliation (loss of cilia) of epithelial cells, to injury
(necrosis) of the mucosal epithelium itself.
Attenuation of the mucosal epithelium, with loss of
cilia and increased numbers of goblet cells, are
common lesions of aerial ammonia toxicity seen in the
tracheas of affected birds.
 The type and degree of damage depends on the
concentration of ammonia in the air and the length of
time of exposure.
Clearance of particles from the respiratory tract of birds
is approximately 30 times faster than that of mammals.
Atmospheric ammonia at high concentrations causes
conjunctivitis (inflammation of conjunctivae) and
damages the cornea of the eyes. Almond Shaped Eye.
Ammonia induced corneal erosion. The lesion is an
almost circular, grey-white, opaque, rough-looking area in
the centre of the cornea
 High incidence of contact dermatitis: foot, hock and
breast burns that can be a gateway for bacteria causing
further health problems to the birds. Lameness.
Ascites. Gastrointestinal irritation.
Eyes are tightly closed
 Good management practices
 Use nipple drinkers.
 Use litter material with high water holding capacity. Coarse
litter texture can increase the incidence of contact dermatitis
compared with fine, soft quality litter.
 When the house has concrete floors used no more than 2
inch thick litter (Ekstrand et al., 1997).
 Rearing density should be maintained according to the
ventilation capacity of the building.
 Keep a good ventilation rate in winter.
 Minimize overdrinking in breeders by provision of pecking
substrates.
THANKS