Evaluation of a 1000-head a

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2001 | No Comments

Develop a Decision Support System for Land Application of Manure Affecting the Groundwater Quality in Manitoba

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Traditionally, livestock operations have remained as part of a mixed-farming operation closely integrating the feed production and manure disposal within the farm. With the expansion of the livestock industry, newer operations of 2500 sow farrow-to-weaner and 6,000 hog finishing operations have become more popular due to the economies of scale. As the operations become larger, the increasing volume of manure generated within a small area requires a larger area for land disposal. However, if the nutrient value of manure can be demonstrated then the manure will become a valuable resource rather than a waste that needs disposal. The Sustain2 computer simulation model is a decision support system (DSS) that is designed to show the economic and environmental impact of land application of manure for a given soil, crop, and weather combination. The Sustain2 model follows the on-farm nitrogen cycle from feed to nitrogen excretion, N losses during collection, storage, spreading, nitrogen conversions in the soil, crop uptake, and eventual leaching of any remainder to the groundwater. Different management practices such as application rate, time and frequency of application, and different forms of nitrogen in manure are used as input and the impact is simulated over a five-year period. The nitrogen in manure has to mineralize to an inorganic form before it can be taken up by the plant as a nutrient. When nitrogen is mineralized to the nitrate form, it becomes highly water soluble facilitating easy uptake by plants. However, the high solubility also leads to increased leaching of nitrates beneath the root zone. By balancing the amount of water applied to the crop with crop water needs, the amount of water leaching beneath the root zone could be controlled. This can minimize the quantity of nitrates moving beneath the root zone and protect the ground water quality in the long term. The Sustain2 model provides output showing the distribution of nitrate and water content within the root zone as a function of time. It also shows the quantity of nitrate leaching beneath the root zone. The Sustain2 model can be used to assess the impact of different dates of manure application as well as application rates. The Sustain2 Model output, presented below, shows distribution of nitrate in the root zone a

Aspergillus niger absorbs copper and zinc from swine wastewater

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Denitrification from a Swine Lagoon Overland Flow Treatment System at a Pasturea

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Nitrates in Soil and Water

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Nitrates are chemicals made up of nitrogen and oxygen. They occur naturally in certain vegetables, preserved meat and soil, and are present in both commercial fertilizers and manure. The presence of nitrates in soil is necessary for plant growth. However, excess soil nitrates can contaminate water supplies, creating a potential health concern.

Group Housing of Sows The Potential for the Future

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Today's Workplace: A Matter of Respect

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Effects of pelleting, expanding plus pelleting, and enzyme supplementation on barley diets with wheat millrun on DE content

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Individually-housed grower pigs were fed barley or barley-millrun diets with or without supplemental enzyme and processing. The DE content and subsequent performance did not differ between barley and barley-millrun diets indicated grower pigs may be fed high-fibre diets without negative impact on performance. Supplemental enzymes improved DE content of barley but not barley-millrun diets.

Effect of infestation with Psoroptes ovis on the nocturnal rubbing and lying behaviour of housed sheep

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As part of a more broad study about sheep scab, the relationship between an infection with Psoroptes ovis and nocturnal rubbing and lying behaviour was examined. Groups of 6 to 20 scab-free sheep were penned with one infested sheep. The variation in the rubbing behaviour depended on the age of the lesion, the size of the infected area and the amount of time that has elapsed since the infected sheep was introduced. Older and larger lesions resulted in an increase in the rubbing behaviour. The more time the sheep spent rubbing resulted in the sheep spending less time, overall, lying. As well, lying bouts were more frequently interrupted by rubbing bouts. In general, this study demonstrated how a parasitic infection can generate changes in the behaviour of the sheep and these changes may affect the welfare and transmission of the disease.

Cattle vocalizations are associated with handling and equipment problems at beef slaughter plants

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In the majority (42 %) of plants assessed, 0-1 % of cattle vocalized, while over 10 % of the cattle vocalized in only 8 % of the plants. Repeated use of an electric prod was responsible for as high as 17 % of the vocalizations. Reducing the voltage on an electric prod was able to reduce vocalizations by 5 % in one plant. Addition of illumination to a dark entrance and addition of a false floor to a conveyor restrainer was sufficient to reduce the number of cattle who backed up or balked by 8-15 %. Because the number of cattle who balked was reduced, electric prod use was also be reduced. In one plant, reduction in the pressure exerted by a neck restraint reduced the percentage of cattle vocalizing from 23 to 0 %. The mean percentage of cattle who vocalized in the plants initially was 12.8 %. After all of the modifications were made in the plants, the mean percentage of cattle who vocalized was reduced to 0.8 %. Thus, vocalization scoring was proven to be an efficient method for identifying handling and equipment problems that had the potential to compromise animal welfare.