A rapid expansion of swine production in prairie provinces increased the public awareness of the environmental concerns associated with swine manure – the odour and water quality being the main concerns. An excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excreted in manure are responsible for adverse effects on water quality.
Manure from large swine production units with a limited land base can not utilize manure effectively as fertilizer resulting in storage and disposal problems. The new environmental regulations require nutrient management plans for swine farms.