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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:
Composting: An Alternative Method of Deadstock Disposal
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 0000 | No Comments
Manitoba Conservation regulates the disposal of deadstock under the Livestock Manure and
Mortalities Management Regulation, MR 42/98 amended by MR 52/2004. Under this regulation:
15(1) No person shall keep mortalities in or at an agricultural operation unless the mortalities are kept
(a) in a secure storage room, covered container or secure location; and
(b) continually frozen or refrigerated, if not disposed of within 48 hours after death.
The approved mortality disposal options in Manitoba are:
1. Burial
2. Incineration
3. Composting
4. Rendering
Unfortunately, burial is not suitable for light, sandy soils and is impractical in the winter. As well, large operations (300 or more animal units) are not permitted to bury deadstock on the operation property without written approval from the director. Incineration can be quite expensive, particularly for larger carcasses, and the incinerator must be licensed and operated in accordance with the Incinerators Regulation. Finally, due to the BSE crisis, renderers will no longer handle ruminant (cattle, sheep, goat) material. This leaves on-farm composting as the only viable alternative in many situations.
This website provides an overview of on-farm composting mortalities. It includes interactive screens to assist in planning your composting site. For more information on carcass composting, please contact
your local Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives office or click here to find an agricultural office near you.
Diseased animals should be reported to your local veterinarian and disposed of accordingly!
Energy Use in Pig Farming
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AMMONIA EMISSION FACTORS FROM SWINE FINISHING OPERATIONS
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Composting Solid Manure
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Composting is a biological process that involves the aerobic decomposition of organic matter to produce a humus-like product called compost. For animal manures, an appropriate C:N ratio and moisture content are essential for successful composting. Producers should have their manure and bedding mixtures analyzed prior to composting to ensure that the mixtures meet the criteria for good composting.
Composting challenges are time and recipe, temperature, moisture, oxygen and aeration, particle size, porosity, structure, texture and curing. Other considerations in composting are the methods such as machine-turned windrow, aerated windrow or static piles and in-vessel. When choosing a method the following should be considered, the level of management that can be applied, the availability of equipment and labour, the space requirements for the material and access, the quality of the compost required and potential issues due to climate and cost. Good site selection is very important to composting as well. It is necessary to consider the soil type, topography, location of water sources, access to handling and hauling, distance from neighbours, wind direction and aesthetics.
All compost that is sold in or imported to Canada must comply with the requirements of the Fertilizers Act and Regulations. It includes provisions for product safety, benefit claims and labelling. The provinces are responsible for regulating the disposal and use of waste, including compost. Standards have been set in Canada for compost quality. The four criteria are product safety and quality, maturity, foreign matter, trace elements and pathogens. For more information consult the Fertilizers Act and Fertilizer Regulations or the “On Farm Composting Handbook” available through Olds College Alberta.
Tri-Provincial Manure Application and Use Guidelines
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Goal of the Tri-Provincial Manure Application and Use Guidelines
The goal of the Tri-Provincial Manure Application and Use Guidelines is to provide a set of
recommended practices supported by science-based information to help ensure the
sustainable use of manure as a fertilizer across the Prairie region.
Manure Management Principles
The following principles are accepted by the three Departments of Agriculture across the
Prairie Provinces as the basis for sustainable manure management.
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Biogas- an Overview
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Biogas consists of about 60-80% methane, 20-40% carbon dioxide and trace amounts of other compounds. It is produced as a by-product from the biological breakdown of organic material such as livestock manure. You can produce biogas in digesters, airtight tank with heating coils. With modifications, water heaters or furnaces can use biogas as fuel because it is able to produce heat and electricity. Digested manure is less odorous and pathogenic than raw manure and therefore better for the environment. The reason that digesters are not used in Alberta is because of their economic feasibility, capital costs can range from hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars. Several biogas facilities have been constructed to test this feasibility again. It will most likely be most feasible for the bigger operations (+1000 pigs).
Implementing a CNMP: What Does it Take to Get it Done?
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Environmental stewardship is becoming an increasingly important issue for those in the pork production business. Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs) are the road maps and audit documents for those in the production business in which are developed action plans to minimize their effect on the environment. CNMPs are goals and yardsticks that are available for third party verification of performance. Presently, pork operations only have to file yearly Manure Management Plans (MMPs). But it is expected that all commercial operations will soon need a revisable and auditable CNMP on file.Issues with this are the time and money it will take these operations, especially those smaller ones, to complete these CNMPs. There are services being set up to help out but there are still no requirements for them so it is a a