Presence of microorganisms at various stages of poultry wastes management. Part I. Keratinolytic microorganisms

Poultry waste management is a difficult and arduous process. This requires a number of steps of processing the organic substances included in the waste mass from poultry industry. These wastes, due to the high content of keratin, are hardly degradable. One of the possibilities of their decomposition is the use of highly-active microorganisms. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of keratinolytic microorganisms at the selected stages of poultry waste management. The research material consisted of slime originating from liquid waste reservoir, biological sludge, and proper compost. Analyses were performed on mineral substrates containing keratin as the only carbon source. Based on the study, the presence of keratinolytic microorganisms was found in all materials. The slime was the most numerously inhabited waste, while proper compost the least. Predominant group of microorganisms, regardless of the tested material type, was composed of bacteria.