Economic Overview of Manure Handling and Processing Options

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2007 | No Comments

Manure is a valuable source of plant nutrients but also a potential pollutant. The proper management of nutrients from organic sources such as animal manures, bio-solids, and plant residues is important in order to protect our country’s environment and to have economically and environmentally sustainable livestock enterprises. Some segments of our society are claiming that there are readily available alternative manure processing and management technologies that have been adequately developed and verified to the point that they can replace existing systems such as EMS containment. However, while there are a number of different technologies and management systems available, the practicality of applying many of these alternative technologies is largely unproven at the present time. For example, many promising alternative technologies generate solids but only limited viable markets have been identified or established for the end products. This limitation significantly impacts the economic feasibility of the technology especially for products intended for compost markets. In addition, some manure processing systems have not performed well under performance verification testing or are cost-prohibitive. Other potential replacement technologies are still in field trials and need further evaluation before any definitive conclusions can be reached. The present level of research, development, and demonstration efforts, however, provides optimism that innovative alternatives may be developed and proven practical in the future. Waste management practices that generate economic, social and environmental benefits have value to both the public and private sectors. This is especially true with how livestock manure is managed on our farms. Other countries have seen what can happen to livestock production when manure from these operations is not properly handled or where livestock concentrations have exceeded local support. The choices we create and the decisions we make will determine the future of our livestock industries.

Peak flow as a measure of airway dysfunction in swine confinement operators

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To evaluate the usefullness of a portable peak flow meter in predicting airway dysfunction in symptomatic swine confinement workers, we conducted a study using an established cohort of swine workers in Iowa. Participants were randomly selected from a group of 207 swine confinement workers and a group of nonconfinement farmers who had been followed longitudinally. Swine confinement workers with work-related symptoms were identified, and two control groups (swine confinement workers and nonconfinement workers) without work related symptoms were frequently matched by age, sex, and smoking status to the symptomatic swine confinement workers. Peak flow measuers were obtained for 7 days using a mini-Wright peak flow meter and comparisons were made between the symptomatic swine confinement farmers (n=24) and both groups of asymptomatic workers: swine confinement workers (n=21) and neighbourhood farmer controls (n=25). Peak flow readings were recorded by subject five times per day for 7 days, initially on awakening, then after chores, before lunch, before dinner, and before bedtime. The actual hour of day for each measurement of peak flow was similar between the three groups. Percent changes from initial AM peak flow did not significantly differ between subject groups. However, symptomatic swine confinement workers consistently exhibited significantly lower initial and subsequent mean peak flow values compared with asymptomatic swine confinement workers and neighborhood control farmers, controlling for age, height, gender and smoking status. These differences occurred on most of the measures of peak flow throughout the work day. The persistence of these lower values throughout the work day is remarkably consistent during the study period and is suggestive of airway disease in the symptomatic swine confinement workers. Our findings suggest that peak flow meters are a useful indicator of potential airway injury and offer an additional portable, diagnostic tool in the assessment of sympotmatic workers.

Evaluation of the degree of P saturation for assessing the risk of P loss potential in Manitoba soils

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The objectives of this study were to
independently evaluate the P sorption capacity equations for Manitoba soils and to
determine the DPS threshold limit for Manitoba soils. Also, the influence of manure
application on the prediction P sorption capacity was evaluated.
To achieve these objectives, 40 independent surface soil samples (0-15 cm of 20
manured and 20 non-manured soils) representing the major soils of Manitoba were
collected. The chemical and physical properties of the soils were determined by routine
laboratory analysis. The P sorption capacities of the soils were determined using both
the single and multi-point sorption methods. Portion of the soils were further incubated
with different rates of P to provide different degree of P saturation. Manure application generally reduced the total capacity of the soils to sorb P. Manure
application affected the predictability of P sorption capacity of the soils because of the
influence of manure application on soil properties that directly influence P sorption such
as Mehlich-3 extractable Ca and Mg. It was found that the influence of soil texture on P sorption was
more pronounced in non-manured soils than in manured soils.
The pH range of the soils is another important factor that influenced the prediction of P
sorption capacity of the soils. The predictive equation worked better for soils with neutral
to high soil pH than for soils in the acid range pH probably because of the neutral to
high alkaline pH of the soils used to formulate the original equations. From our results, the DPS threshold of Manitoba soils is 20, values of DPS greater than this will lead to unacceptable loss of P from the soil to adjacent environments.

Energy Efficiency in Swine Facilities

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

Use of Nanoparticles to Control Gaseous Emissions from Swine Manure Slurry

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Nanoparticles are highly reactive powder materials with unique properties due to its nanoscale dimensions. The goal of this work is to take advantage of advances in nanotechnology to control odour and gaseous emissions from swine operations. A series of tests using commercially-available nanoparticles was conducted to evaluate their impact on ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2), and gas mixture emitted from swine manure slurry. A number of nanoparticles tested reduced NH3 at initial concentration of 50 ppm by 78 to 86%, while a few were able to reduce 25-ppm H2S to below detection level (<1 ppm). Additional tests are being conducted to investigate potential techniques for practical implementation of this technology in actual swine barns.

SOLS

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SOL ET LE CYCLE DES ÉLÉMENTS FERTILISANTS
Le sol fournit un support aux plantes et il joue un rôle important dans le cycle des éléments
nutritifs/fertilisants, en emmagasinant ceux-ci dans certaines conditions et en les rendant disponibles aux
plantes dans d’autres conditions. Selon l’élément et les variations dans les caractéristiques du sol (comme
texture, structure, pH, densité, contenu en matière organique, drainage, concentrations des macro et micro
éléments, capacité d’échange cationique et le niveau d’activité des micro-organismes), le climat, le cycle
des éléments et la capacité des plantes à récupérer ces éléments, son cycle sera grandement affecté par la
localisation (OMAFRA, 1994b). La disponibilité des éléments pour les plantes varie avec le temps;
seulement une fraction de ce qui est appliqué est utilisée la première année par les plantes et la portion
restante devient disponible aux plantes lentement sur les années qui suivent. Pour le N, cette fraction
varie de 50 à 70% d’utilisation la première année; pour le P, la portion utilisée la première année peut
varier de 10 à 40% selon le mode d’épandage et pour le potassium (K) l’utilisation représente de 20 à
25% (OMAF 1994b; FB 1994). La détermination d’un taux d’épandage ne peut donc pas être faite en
considérant seulement les éléments présents dans le fumier/lisier et les besoins des plantes à fertiliser.
Pour les éléments comme le N, qui est libéré en quantité relativement importante par la minéralisation de
la matière organique dans les sols (50 – 100 kg N/ha par an), la capacité du sol à libérer des éléments doit
être considérée et des analyses de sol doivent être réalisées de manières régulières pour déterminer les
éléments additionnels qui sont nécessaires aux plantes et qui ne sont pas déjà disponibles dans le sol
(Lorimer 1995; OMAF 1994b; Schmitt et Rehm 1997; Goss et al. 1996). De plus l’estimation des
rendements de culture devraient être basés sur les rendements des années antérieures. Une surestimation
de rendement peut entraîner une surfertilisation et un lessivage ou une accumulation d’éléments
fertilisants au niveau du sol. Toutefois une sous-estimation de rendements peut entraîner une sousfertilisation
et ainsi réduire les rendements et la marge de profit ( OMAF 1994b; Schmitt et Rehm 1997;
Lorimer 1995).
Différentes réactions vont survenir après l’épandage. Certaines pertes se produiront sous forme de
volatilisation de N (NH3), de ruissellement, d’érosion, de lessivage et de dénitrification (pertes directes de
N sous forme de N2, N2O ou NO) (FB 1994; OMAF 1994b). Le N et le P sous formes minérales sont
trouvés dans le fumier/lisier mais la plus grande partie de ceux-ci est présente sous forme organique.
Le P est retenu par les particules dans le sol jusqu’à une certaine concentration, toutefois lorsque plus de
P est ajouté du lessivage se produira (FB 1994; Evans et al. 1984; Lorimer 1995; Simard et al. 1996). Le
P inorganique est cependant très mobile et s’attache aux particules de sol et le mouvement du P
surviendra par érosion éolienne et hydrique (OMAF 1994b; Lorimer 1995). Un résultat d’analyse de sol
donnant une concentration en P de plus de 30 ppm indique que les taux d’application de fumier/lisier
doivent être ajustés et que le P doit devenir l’élément limitant dans le calcul des taux d’épandage
(Lorimer, 1995). Pour ce qui est du P, des taux élevés d’épandage entraîne une augmentation de la
concentration de P dans le sol avec le temps. Par exemple, des analyses faites dans les premiers 20 cm
d’un loam limoneux ont montré une augmentation de 50% de la concentration en P de 42 ppm en 1990 à
63 ppm en 1996 et ce pour un taux d’épandage de 77 kg de /ha-an. Pour la même période, la
concentration a augmenté de 49 à 85 ppm pour un taux d’épandage de 97 kg de P/ha-an (Randall, 1997).
Le N présent dans le lisier non traité est principalement sous forme organique et ammonium (NH4
+) et
n’est pas mobile lorsqu’incorporé dans le sol (OMAF 1994b). La forme organique du N et du NH4
+ peut
toutefois se déplacer aux eaux de surfaces si le lisier n’est pas incorporé après l’épandage et que
d’importantes précipitations surviennent causant du ruissellement. Dans le sol, la minéralisation
transforme la partie organique du N en NH 4
+, et généralement la nitrification suivra pour transformer le
NH4
+ en NO3
-. Les sols qui ont un haut taux de NO3
– sont plus propices au lessivage de ce composé vers
les eaux souterraines ou vers le s eaux de surface particulièrement si les sols sont équipés de systèmes de
drainage car cette forme de N est très mobile dans les sols. Le lessivage à travers les sols jusqu’à la nappe
phréatique peut se produire sur une longue période selon la quantité de précipitations qui survient. De
manière à rencontrer les quantités de N nécessaires aux plantes, la contribution en N du sol avant la
fertilisation par engrais minéraux ou organiques (fumier/lisier), la minéralisation du N provenant de la
matière organique, la contribution directe de N de l’atmosphère et la contribution provenant de l’engrais
appliqué doivent tous être considérées (Lorimer 1995; FB 1994; Goss et al. 1996).

Impact of single versus multiple policy options on the economic feasibility of biogas energy production: Swine and dairy operations in Nova Scotia

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Is Exchange Rate Pass-Through in Pork Meat Export Prices Constrained by the Supply of Live Hogs?

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The objectives of the article are twofold. First, a theoretical model that accounts for production and marketing lags is used to explain the pricing decisions of a firm that exports a processed good to two markets. The second objective is to measure Exchange Rate Pass-Through (ERPT) in pork meat export prices from three Canadian provinces (Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba) to two destinations (United States and Japan) over the 1988–2003 period. The estimation results strongly support the hypothesis that predetermined supplies have a significant impact on export prices for two out
of three Canadian provinces. ERPT elasticity for Canadian exports to the United States is approximately in the range of −0.2 to −0.7. In the case of exports to Japan, the degree of misspecification involved with the standard ERPT
equation that only includes the Canadian dollar to yen exchange rate as well as a marginal cost proxy is quite large. The standard specification yields ERPT coefficients that are much smaller in absolute value than the ERPT coefficients found in the full system approach that includes predetermined hog supplies. Hence, failure to account for the dynamic nature of agricultural supply chains may result in significantly biased estimates of ERPT.

Comparative sequences of the canine and feline vasopressin prohormones

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Dietary fibre for gestating sows: effects on parturition progress, behaviour, litter and sow performance

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In the European Union, animal welfare legislation (European Council, 2001) imposes the provision of bulky or high-fibre (HF) diets to pregnant sows to improve sow welfare. Such practices intend to fulfill feeding motivation in sows by increasing the daily feed allowance without increasing the energy intake during gestation, and thus avoiding overweight at farrowing which can be detrimental for piglets’ survival (Dourmad et al., 1994). Many studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of fibrous components in the gestation diet or through the litter on sow welfare (Meunier-Salaün et al., 2001). Dietary fibres are also known to reduce sow digestive disorders such as constipation (Wenk, 2001; Tabeling et al., 2003) as well as excessive body fatness at farrowing, that has been shown to lead to longer parturition length and increased piglet losses (Bilkei Papp, 1990). Approximately 75% of the 8% of stillborn piglets generally reported in usual rearing conditions die during parturition (Van Dijk et al., 2005), mainly as a result of asphyxia (Van Rens and Van Der Lende, 2004). Last-born piglets are more likely to suffer from asphyxia resulting from the cumulative effects of successive contractions or from a rupture of umbilical cord as parturition progresses (Randall, 1971 and 1972; Herpin et al., 1996). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of feeding a high-fibre (HF) diet during gestation on parturition progress and reproductive performance of sows. Forty-two primiparous sows (Large-White3Landrace crossbred) were fed during gestation either a control diet (C diet; 2.40 kg/day, 3.2% crude fibre, in % of dry matter (DM)), or a HF diet (2.80 kg/day, 12.4% crude fibre, in % of DM). All sows received 33MJ digestible energy per day. Continuous video recordings were done on the parturition day to determine postural changes (standing, sitting, lying) and behavioural activities (nesting behaviour, uterine contractions, restlessness, social behaviour towards piglets) during parturition. Duration of parturition and individual birth intervals were also measured. Piglets’ growth was evaluated by weekly weighing from birth until weaning, at
26.5 days of age. Sows were weighed and backfat thickness was measured at mating, on day 105 of gestation, on the 1st day post partum, and at weaning. Durations of parturition and of birth intervals were not affected by the gestation diet and averaged 211 ± 12 min and 16.5 ± 0.9 min (mean ± s.e.), respectively. During the parturition progress, the gestation diet did not affect the frequency and the time devoted to postural and behavioural activities. Dietary treatment during gestation did not influence duration of gestation and weaning-to-oestrus interval, as well as litter size, and number of stillborn and weaned piglets. Piglet weight at birth did not differ between gestation dietary treatments but piglets nursed by HF sows showed a 13.5% greater growth rate during the 1st week of life (P<0.01) and tended to be heavier at weaning (P=0.06) compared with C piglets. The HF sows were leaner at the end of gestation (P<0.05), but variations of sows’ weight during gestation and lactation were not affected by the gestation diet. All sows lost the same amount of backfat thickness during lactation. During lactation, the average daily feed intake was not significantly affected by the gestation diet. This study shows that substituting a control diet for a HF diet during gestation has limited effects on farrowing progress and reproductive performance, but improved piglets’ growth rate during the 1st week of life and tended to increase their live weight at weaning.