Chicken manure, a major waste product of the livestock industry and a high-quality raw material for organic fertilizer, has a fertilizer conversion rate that is a core concern for farmers and environmentalists. In fact, the amount of fertilizer produced from 1 ton of chicken manure is not a fixed value, but is affected by multiple factors such as raw material characteristics, processing technology, and quality standards. The final yield typically fluctuates between 0.3 and 0.8 tons.
From the perspective of the raw material itself, fresh chicken manure has a moisture content of approximately 60%-70% and contains a large amount of crude fiber, undigested feed residue, and microorganisms. This means that in 1 ton of fresh chicken manure, only 30%-40% of the dry matter can actually be converted into effective nutrients. Under natural composting conditions, after 2-3 months of fermentation and decomposition, moisture evaporates and organic matter decomposes, ultimately yielding approximately 0.3-0.4 tons of ordinary compost. Although this compost has a lower yield, it retains most of the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter in the chicken manure, effectively improving soil structure and making it suitable for small-scale farmland application.
If industrialized organic fertilizer processing technology is adopted, utilizing specialized organic fertilizer production lines, the entire organic fertilizer production process proceeds systematically through dehydration, crushing, addition of composting agents, and high-temperature fermentation, significantly improving the conversion rate. First, the moisture content of chicken manure is reduced to below 40% using a dewatering machine. Then, it undergoes high-temperature composting by microorganisms to decompose harmful substances. Finally, straw, mushroom residue, and other auxiliary materials are added to adjust the nutrient ratio. Under this process, 1 ton of fresh chicken manure can produce 0.5-0.6 tons of commercial organic fertilizer that meets national standards (organic matter content ≥45%, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content ≥5%). The product has stronger stability and more balanced fertilizer effect, making it suitable for cash crop cultivation.
However, in the production of bio-fertilizers, the yield is slightly lower because additional functional microbial agents and carrier materials are required, and the purity requirements for raw materials are higher. 1 ton of high-quality chicken manure (moisture content ≤50%), after screening, sterilization, inoculation, and fermentation, typically produces 0.4-0.5 tons of bio-fertilizer. This type of fertilizer not only improves the quality of organic fertilizer but also inhibits pests and diseases through functional microbial communities, enhancing crop quality and increasing added value.
It's important to note that the conversion of chicken manure into fertilizer is not a case of "the higher the yield, the better." Excessive pursuit of yield may lead to insufficient fertilizer nutrients and incomplete decomposition, which can harm the soil and crops. Properly controlling moisture, adding appropriate auxiliary materials, and ensuring sufficient fermentation time are crucial to producing efficient, safe, and high-quality fertilizer while maintaining a good yield. The conversion process of one ton of chicken manure is not only a resource utilization of waste but also a vivid microcosm of the development of ecological agriculture.
