Among the
greenhouse gases produced in broiler
chicken production environments,
ammonia stands out for being present in higher concentrations and for significantly affecting
human and
animal health. Thus, this
review evaluates the various sources of
ammonia generation in
animal production facilities, the damages caused by
ammonia emissions in broiler
chicken production facilities, and the accompanying economic losses. The main source of
ammonia in broiler
production is the
nitrogen ingested in the
diet, which is broken down into
uric acid and, eventually, into
ammonia that is volatilized from the
bed to the
environment. High
ammonia concentrations in such facilities can
affect productivity and result in economic losses. The effects on the
environment are
eutrophication of
water bodies and
ground water contamination.
Ammonia emission control in
poultry production facilities is therefore inevitable to avoid economic losses, prevent environmental damage, and increase feed
efficiency.(AU)