Manure composition can vary from farm to farm which limits the value of poultry manure as a fertilizer in crop production. In addition to inorganic macronutrients such as phosphorus (P), sulfur, potassium, calcium, trace elements (i.e., manganese, copper, zinc, or arsenic) must also be known as these feed additives may pose risks of soil enrichment when the litter is repeatedly applied.  Manure analysis by traditional wet chemistry and spectrometric methods require a large investment of time and labor. Meanwhile, Energy Dispersive X Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) Spectrometry allows rapid multi-elemental analysis of large number of samples.  The results of EDXRF analysis for P was well correlated (r² = 0.84**) with those of concentrate acid digests and P determination by the phosphomolybdate-ascorbic acid and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric results for 71 samples collected from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Maryland.  In addition, simultaneous multi-element measurements in manure and litter are possible to quantify other environmentally sensitive elements of atomic weights between 13 and 92.  The benefits of EDXRF include minimal sample preparation, rapid sample throughput, simple data interpretation, and the potential for portable field analysis. Therefore, the robustness of the EDXRF method and accurate knowledge of litter composition widen our ability to evaluate more frequently and accurately nutrient balance on the farm or nutrient accumulation at large spatial scale in intensive poultry producing watersheds.