SEARCH
Industry Partners
Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
Options for Farms that Produce more Manure than their Landbase can Handle.
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1996 | No Comments
As the farm increase their production, in many cases the manure produced will exceed the capacity of their landbase to receive it without causing environmental concerns. Guidelines on the livestock densities per acre (5 sows or 4 feeder hogs / acre which represents 12 sows or 10 feeder hogs / ha) are presented and when the density of 1 livestock unit / acre or 2.5 livestock units /ha is exceeded, a nutrient management plan should be realized in order to determined if higher levels of manure can be applied safely. In cases where the livestock density exceed the value presented and a nutrient management plan show that the manure produced exceed all the crops and soil needs, further steps have to be taken to handle the excess manure properly and some alternatives have to be studied and a selection can be made between different alternatives. 1. to reduce the amount of manure nutrient that have to be handle (by improved nutrient conversion from the feed given to the animals, or by reducing the number of animal units on the farm, or by removing nutrients in the manure (treatments)); 2. to apply more manure on the same land using a nutrient management plan (by reducing the use of commercial fertilizer, by reducing the use of organic nutrient sources, by increasing the crop uptake or nutrients (crop rotations), by allowing nutrients buildup in the soils, by improving the absorbing ability of the soil); 3. to increase the land surface available for manure spreading (by purchasing of more land on the same or a different property deed, by renting land on a long or short-term lease, or by manure application agreement); 3. to increase the accessibility of the landbase for manure application (by using different spreading techniques and equipment that allow longer period for manure spreading); 4. to treat the manure (by separation, by composting, by odour reduction that can allow for manure spreading closer to residences, by increasing nutrient concentration that would lower the volumes that have to be handle). Proper planning has to be realized before construction or expansion is realized in order to evaluate the landbase availability.
Some of the solutions presented such as nutrient buildup should not be included as it is a very short-term solution that is not environmentally sustainable. Such buildup can result in environmental consequences and a reduction of the land available for manure spreading on a mid to long-term basis.
Elevage porcin et bruit: evaluation de l'impact sonore des porcheries
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Animal and Fed Factors Determining N and P Excretion with Pig Manure
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
The Ontario nutrients situation is rapidly covered presenting that for a sow in inventory /year, 18 pigs for slaughter are produced. The resulting nutrients excretion for such production is approximately 114 kg of N, 23 kg of P and 70 kg of K excreted in the manure and of those amounts, around 70% of N, 65% of P and 70% of K excreted in the manure come from the grower-finisher pigs. The determining factors for N and P excretion are also presented as being the difference between the supply of nutrients and the animal requirements and attributed to feed usage, amino acids (Aas) and P levels and digestibility, the pigs maintenance requirements, the Aas balance and the retention rate of N and P. Different models that predict the N and P excretion in the manure are discussed. A model based on input/output nutrients would be a good tool at individual pig farm unit to evaluate the nutrient balance.
Health hazards affecting the animal confinement farm worker
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
This article discusses several important issue regarding confinement farming of poultry and swine. Major issues that are raised include the environment of the animal confinement facility, aerosols, gases, noise, and the potential risk of these factors to the farm worker.
Manure Odor Reduction from Pit Additives
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Odor is a subject of growing public concern. Implementation of a odor control strategy can significantly reduce the level of offensive odor generated from and intensive livestock operation. Commerical pit additives are one alternative in the fight to reduce odor. This study examined the effectiveness of commercial pit additives for odor reduction effectiveness. Odors were tested through olfacrometry( A panle of four individual smell mixtures of odorous air from cylinders diluted by specifice amounts of fresh air. Dilution rates were adjusted until all panel members detect some odor, the odor threshold. A 0 to 87 percent reduction in the odor threshold was found with various responses to volatile fatty acids, pH, total nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen.
Odour Nuisance from Livestock Production Systems
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Effective economic methods are needed to control offensive odours arising from the storage and landspreading of slurries and solid manure and from livestock buildings. Odour concentration in air can be determined through the use of a dynamic dilution olfactometer and a panel of people. The use of micrometeorological or wind tunnel techniques, enable rates of odour emission to be calculated during and after spreading wastes on land.
The highest rates of emission occur during and for the first few hours after spreading. These rapidly decline to much lower levels, which normally persist for 2-3 days with small diurnal fluctuations, reflecting changes in wind speed and possibly, air temperature. A wide range of animal, management and environmental factors influences rates of emissions. Methods for reduction include anaerobic digestion or aerobic treatment of slurries prior to storage, direct injection into soil or, on arable land, rapid incorporation by ploughing or rotavation. There is less information on odour emissions from livestock buildings which are often much greater than those from land, especially from mechanically ventilated pig and poultry houses. Frequent removal of wastes, or cleaning exhaust air by means of a biofilter or bioscrubber can be effective in reducing these emissions.
Relationships between odour concentration and odour intensity (the perceived strength) suggest that, in many instances, >90% reduction in concentration is needed for effective abatement.
Managing Odors from Swine Waste AEU-8
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Odours are difficult to measure as well to manage. As we see an increasing trend to more intensive livestock operations odours will become a larger issue that must be dealt with. The most effective way to control odour is to indentify the source and take corrective action to eliminate it. Odour sources can be divided into three categories: (1) building and facilities (2) Outside storage systems (3) land application. Sources of odours in and around buildings include: wet dirty floors and spilled, moldy feed to name a few. The solutions for building odours can be based on best management practices, keep the facilities clean. Management also plays a key role in the management of odour of lagoons: control the pH and cover whenever possible. Land application should include direct injection, as well taking into account prevailing winds on days of application. Producers must recognize, how ododur effects individuals is based on perception, therefore must develop a sensitivity and effective resposne to neighbours perceptions.