Abstract: A method for reducing the amount of ammonia released into the air in a livestock enclosure by the decomposition of livestock excrement or urine by applying to areas of the enclosure where livestock excrement or urine accumulates an ammonia scavenging composition that contains an aliphatic polycarboxylic acid in an amount sufficient to scavenge a portion of the ammonia which is generated due to the decomposition of the livestock excrement or urine, thereby reducing the amount of ammonia released into the air within the enclosure.