Ammonia Accumulation in Settling Basins

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Ammonia concentration is believed to increase with time in undrained settling basins, but little data exists on how quickly the ammonia accumulates. This study examined how quickly ammonia accumulates and factors that influence the ammonia accumulation.
At cold temperatures, ammonia concentrations remained at approximately the initial concentration, therefore the warmer the temperature the faster the conversion occurs. In all the tests pH remained essentially constant at approximately 6.8. Swine manure is similar to beef but converts to ammonia at a faster rate making it more important to dewater before conversion occurs. There is also more clean water to dilute the liquid from a solids settling structure immediately after an event when the concentration is the lowest. The results then show that it is important to dewater settling basins as quickly aster a rainfall as possible, before the conversion to ammonia occurs.

Test Manure After Feed Ingredient Change

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In recent research at Iowa State University, including lysine, alone, in swine diets resulted in a reduction of dietary crude protein from 17.4% to 17%. Adding lysine, methionine, threonin and tryptophan to the diet reduced crude protein content even further, to 14.5%. Incorporation of lysine and methionine, though not tested in this study, would have resulted in a dietary crude protein content of approximately 16.2%. The reduced diet content does translate into less manure excretion. Urine nitrogen, where most of the nitrogen is excreted, decreased by 15% by adding the four amino acids. In addition, ammonia emissions were reduced by half. Others have demonstrated similar results. Similar results would be expected following feeding to poultry. However, data that addresses the combined use of lysine and methionine for poultry or swine is somewhat limited.
Nutrient excretion reductions will be site-specific based on how the amino acids are formulated in the diet and which amino acids are used. Producers who want to see how such practices affect their manure values should plan to test their manure before and after implementing such a change. If the change in diet formulation has already taken place, producers should still test their manure to see how composition in their manure storage facility compares to values used by a producer in his/her manure management plan. The change in nitrogen content may have a positive effect on manure management planning.

Short-term effects of manure application on soil leachates in a mountain catchment

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Fluctuations in Manure Nutrient Concentration during Storage Pump-out

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This study was initiated to better understand the changing composition of manure samples within a storage and between different liquid swine manure storages used in Manitoba. In a recent study done by Fitzgerald and Racz, 2001, various storages across Manitoba were sampled and analyzed. This study found large variations between hog type (finisher, nursery, sow) and at different levels in the storage. (top, middle, or bottom) It is well known that stratification, settling of solids, occurs in all types of storages and when agitated the solids are mixed back into the liquids. This project will look at a single-cell, two-cell, and a circular storage system during a typical application and characterize the nutrient composition.

The effect of temperature fluctuations on psychrophilic anaerobic sequencing batch reactors treating swine manure

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Harvesting Winter Forages to Extract Manure Soil Nutrients

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Composting Hog Manure – Is it Right for Your Farm?

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While not completely odour-free, composting does not generate the same kind of manure odours typical of manure collected and stored in pits or earthen storages under anaerobic conditions. Although liquid manure handling systems can be managed in ways that satisfy the rules against liquid manure runoff, they are inherently riskier systems, and many farmers will undoubtedly want to avoid those risks. Composting fits easily into manure handling systems that generate manure with low levels of added water. When managed properly, composting improves the handling characteristics of any organic residue by reducing its moisture content, volume and weight. The process increases the value of raw manures by destroying pathogens and weed seeds and creating a media for the production and proliferation of beneficial organisms. The rate of composting, like the rate of plant or animal growth, can be affected by a number of factors such as: nutrient balance, moisture content, temperature, and aeration. The compost pile must also be turned to restore its porosity and reduce the particle size to increase the surface area of bulking material like straw. Restoring porosity enhances the passive movement of air into the pile and accelerates decomposition. There are a variety of compost turners available for small farm operations and larger self-propelled turners for custom composting operation. Although compost can be turned using a loader, production of quality compost requires the proper equipment. The improper sizing of equipment to perform the function can result in higher cost per tonne of finished compost. The location of the composting site is also important. The site should allow for easy access, a minimum of travel and materials handling and a firm surface to support vehicles under varying weather conditions. The convenience of a particular site must be weighed against factors such as area, proximity to neighbours, visibility, and drainage and runoff control. Good drainage is very important. Poor site drainage leads to ponding of water saturated composting materials, muddy site conditions and excessive run-off and leachate from the site. A muddy composting pad is perhaps the most common site related complaint of composting operators. It is important that the composting operation not be interrupted by rainfall. Consult a soil scientist and an agricultural engineer for a site investigation before establishing a composting site. Run-off control beyond planting a grassed infiltration strip may be necessary to avoid polluting surface or ground water.

Soluble and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides on nutrient digestibility and ileal bacteria populations in grower pigs

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Soluble (SOL) and insoluble (INSOL) NSP may influence gut bacteria populations, reflecting changes in fermentable material in the gut. Effects of purified (SOL, guar gum; INSOL, cellulose) NSP fractions on ileal bacteria populations and energy digestibility were studied. Pigs surgically fitted with an ileal T-cannula were fed four experimental diets (14% cornstarch basal [control]; 7% SOL +7% INSOL NSP [SOL + INSOL]). Diets were fed for 13 d, ileal digesta was collected under CO2, and bacteria were cultured on selective bacteria counts except for Bifidobacteria. Compared to control, addition of soluble and insoluble NSP reduced energy digestibility from 73 to 39% in the ileum, but only marginally across the total tract. Increasing dietary purified soluble and insoluble NSP reduces nutrient digestibility and subsequently, increases the amount of fermentable dry matter in the small intestine, thereby providing further substrate fro ileal bacteria proliferation in grower pigs.

The effects of previous grazing experience and ewe presence on the response to novel grass species by weaned lambs.

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The effects of grazing experience and presence of adult ewes on the response of lambs to introduction of a novel grass species was examined. Lambs had either been artificially reared indoors or were at pasture with their mothers until they were weaned at 3 months of age, at which time five dry, adult ewes joined them. Grazing occurred in sequence, beginning with one, two, three, and then four grass species in four 1-week periods. Grass species were perennial ryegrass, then timothy, then cocksfoot, and finally red fescue. The total time that lambs spent grazing and ruminating increased by grazing experience and somewhat by the presence of the adult ewes. Grazing experience, and to a lesser extent, the presence of adult ewes, also increased the pasture biting rate (number of bites per minute). There was a compounded effect of grazing experience and presence of adult ewes as well. The most preferred species of grass was timothy, followed by perennial ryegrass. The lambs spent the least amount of time grazing red fescue. The time spent grazing cocksfoot and red fescue was increased by grazing experience, but the presence of adult ewes did not increase the time that the lambs spent grazing novel species. The pasture biting rate was higher for grass species that lambs preferred to graze. Neither experience nor presence of adult ewes increased the biting rate on novel species in the period of their introduction. Although both grazing experience and presence of adult ewes increased the total amount of time spent grazing and the pasture biting rate, only grazing experience increased the acceptability of novel species.

An evaluation of response to novelty as a predictor of pecking tendency in laying hens.

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Selective breeding against feather pecking in laying hens depends on identification of individual birds with the lowest feather pecking activity. If certain behavioural traits are phenotypically and genetically associated with, or predictive of, feather pecking activity then tests for those traits may offer a quicker method of identifying suitable parent birds. In a previous study, pairs of pullets that pecked most frequently at a feather bundle also avoided a novel object in a separate test. In the present study, 319 Brown pullets were tested with a novel object at 7-9 weeks of age to determine whether response to novelty predicted either pecking at feather bundles presented in two different ways (loose or fixed) at both 11-13 and 25-27 weeks of age, or feather pecking in the home pen between 15 and 33 weeks of age. Response to novelty did not predict pecking at feather bundles. There were no associations between the amount of pecking directed towards different types of feather bundle, or between pecking at feather bundles and pecking at the feathers of live birds. Response to novelty also failed to predict tendency to feather peck, although recorded levels of feather pecking, especially severe feather pecking, were relatively low. However, when birds with a varied range of responses to a novel object were housed together, more of the birds feather pecked (P < 0.05), they feather pecked more consistently (P < 0.05) and showed more pecking at the environment in a test than birds with similar responses to novelty.