The Breakdown of Biodigesters

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2004 | No Comments

Manure digesters are an excellent method for manure management, but the cost of the units is a limiting factor in the adoption of this technology. The advantages to these digesters include reduction of odour levels, reduction in pathogen levels, preservation of nutrients, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, production of energy, and conservation of water. There are several projects underway to demonstrate and hopefully make them an economically viable option for producers. These projects include The Clear Green/SaskPower/CPIG at Cudworth, SK, the Alberta Research Council/Highmark Renewables feedlot manure treatment system in Alberta, and BioTerre in Manitoba. Digesters need to be of good design, good construction, and have knowledgeable and dedicated management.

Unsteady characteristics of the dispersion process in the vicinity of a pig barn.Wind tunnel experiments and comparison with field data

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Ammonia Emissions from Swine Houses in the Southeastern United States

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Agroecosystem Performance during Transition to Certified Organic Grain Production

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Phosphorus in Soil and Water

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Phosphorus is an essential plant and animal nutrient that can impair surface water quality when present in excess. Phosphorus occurs naturally and is commonly found in fertilizers, manure, detergents, municipal and domestic sewage, and industrial waste. Phosphorus must be carefully managed to minimize the impact on surface water quality.

Although phosphorus is essential for all living things, excess in surface water can degrade water quality and cause a variety of problems. Both agricultural and nonagricultural sources contribute phosphorus to lakes, rivers and streams. All sources must be managed to maintain water quality, however, more than one approach is necessary.

Phytase improves P bioavailability in swine diets

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The Bottom Line

The addition of 250 U/kg of phytase to diets fed to growing pigs maintained performance compared to a positive control supplemented with inorganic P (DiCal). Phytase decreased the amount of P excreted into the feces (increased P digestibility) even at the highest increment of phytase used in our study (2000 U/kg). The phytase enzyme is a tool that allows producers to formulate diets with less total P. Phosphorus output in the manure can be minimized without sacrificing performance. New technologies for the production of phytase are being developed, providing the producer with increased flexibility and selection.

Nutritional value of corn and wheat distillers grain and growth performance

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Nutritional value of corn, wheat + corn (4:1) and wheat distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) for grower-finisher pigs was evaluated. Corn DDGS had the highest digestible energy (DE) and ileal digestible lysine contents but the digestible phosphorus (P) content was similar among DDGS samples. Following characterization of its digestible nutrient profile, DDGS still resulted in reductions in growth performance, suggestion that either the reduced average daily feed intake (ADFI) or other nutritional factors for DDGS deserve further investigation to ensure a successful implementation of DDGS in swine diets.

Managing Welfare: On-Farm Animal Care Assessment for Pigs

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Consumers are becoming increasingly more concerned about animal welfare and want assurances that animals raised for food are handled in appropriate ways. In 2002 the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) formed an animal care working group to consider this issue and develop an on-farm welfare assessment program. This program will help identify areas on the farm which compromise welfare and will most likely be incorporated into the on-farm food safety program as a HACCP-type approach. The control points are based on measurable components of animal based and environmental and management based parameters. The current on-farm assessment consists of general sections (training, euthanasia, mortalities, etc.), sows and piglets, weaned pigs, and grow-finish pigs. Animal welfare assessments must be based on information from several different sources within a given facility. The records generated through the completion of the on-farm animal welfare assessment should provide the producer with a valuable tool for evaluating animal welfare on the farm.

On-farm euthanasia of broiler chickens: effects of different gas mixtures on behavior and brain activity.

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This study examined the effects of increasing the percentage of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere of group-housed broilers as a method of euthanasia. Measuring the level of discomfort before loss of consciousness, and measuring the killing rate, assessed the suitability of the methods used for 2- and 6-week old broilers. The gas mixtures used in the trial for injection into the air were 1) 100 % CO2, 2) 50 % N2 + 50 % CO2, and 3) 30 % O2 + 40 % CO2 + 30 % N2, followed by 100 % CO2. At the time of injection of the gas mixture into the housing, 2 birds per trial that were equipped with brain electrodes were observed for behavior and brain activity. Of the 2-week old birds, 10 % survived the increasing CO2 percentage due to the use of mixture 3. Therefore, that particular mixture was not used in further tests on 6-week old birds. Thirty percent of the 6-week old birds survived the 50-50 mixture of CO2 and N2. Using the 100 % CO2 injection into the air, the highest percentage (42 %) of CO2 in the breathing air was reached. Only 25 % of CO2 in the breathing air was reached using the other two methods. When using each of the three mixtures, head shaking, gasping, and convulsions were observed before loss of posture. Suppression of electrical activity in the brain occurred almost simultaneously with loss of posture. The results of this study indicated that euthanasia of groups of 2- and 6-week old broilers by gradually increasing the percentage of CO2 in the breathing air up to 40 % was possible.

Effects of haloperidol, a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, on feather pecking behaviour in laying hens.

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Feather pecking is quite similar to a stereotypy, and dopamine may have a role in the performance of stereotypies in fowl. Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of the administration of a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist (haloperidol) on the general and feather pecking behaviours of laying hens. In the first experiment the birds were either injected with various concentrations haloperidol or saline (control) and their behaviour 30 minutes before and after the injection were recorded. A dosage of 1.0mg/kg of body weight sedated the hens, while dosages less than or equal to 0.50 mg/kg were ineffective. Therefore, the proper dosage is ranges between 0.50 to 1.0 mg/kg of haloperidol. In a second experiment, feather pecking and aggressive pecking were recorded for the 50-minute period before and after the injection of 0.50mg/kg of haloperidol or saline. Only feather pecking was significantly reduced with the administration of 0.50mg/kg of haloperidol, while it was ineffective at reducing aggressive pecking. Overall, the study verifies that feather pecking is influenced by the dopamine system.