Poultry Judging Practice Test

What are structures constructed outside the poultry house to collect settable solids and skim floating material from flush water?

1. Lagoons

2. Pits

3. Catch basins

4. Settling tanks

The correct answer is: Lagoons

The correct choice, lagoons, refers to large, constructed outdoor facilities designed for the management of waste, particularly in livestock and poultry operations. These lagoons serve to collect flush water—water that contains manure and other organic matter—allowing settable solids to settle at the bottom while floating materials skim the surface. This process is essential for the effective treatment of waste before any potential discharge, helping to minimize environmental impacts. Lagoons provide a natural means of waste treatment, taking advantage of biological processes and natural sedimentation. The construction and design of lagoons allow for the handling of large volumes of waste while ensuring that water quality is maintained. In contrast, pits, catch basins, and settling tanks are different types of waste management structures with distinct functions. Pits are generally used for the direct burial of waste, catch basins primarily function to collect and manage stormwater runoff, and settling tanks are designed specifically for settling solids in a contained manner rather than as outdoor collection systems for flush water. Lagoons, with their specific purpose and capacity, stand out as the best answer for collecting and treating flush water from poultry houses.