Broiler litter contains the equivalent of approximately 58-48-37 pounds per ton of N-P2O5 -K2O on a dry basis. This nutrient analysis is the equivalent of a bagged, commercial fertilizer analyzing approximately 3-2.5-2 percent of N-P2O5-K2O, respectively. Based upon current fertilizer prices, broiler litter would be worth about $30 to $40 per ton as a fertilizer, not including spreading and transportation charges.

Broiler litter application rates on pastures of 8 tons per acre and above in a single application have been shown actually to reduce grass growth. Some producers have concerns that applying broiler litter to pastures increases weed production, incorrectly assuming that weed seeds are present in the litter. Increases in weeds in a field receiving broiler litter simply results from the greater concentration of nutrients, which increases the growth rate of all plants and not just weeds in that soil.

Nitrogen in broiler litter is organically bound and is not as readily available as the N in a commercial fertilizer. This slow release of N in broiler litter can be both negative and positive. On the negative side, there is not a rapid growth spurt in forages following litter application, as with commercial fertilizer. On the positive side, litter applications one time per grazing season work well because of the slow release of N that can promote season-long forage growth.

Broiler litter is frequently used as a fertilizer for winter pastures. For optimal results, broiler litter should be applied preplant and incorporated into the soil at a rate of about 4 tons per acre. The N in broiler litter is released slowly in the fall, and the cool and cold temperatures of fall and winter result in an even slower release of N in broiler litter that is organically bound.