Do Your Best Management Practices Really Work? Assessing Effectiveness of Manure Management Practices through Biological Monitoring.

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1992 | No Comments

Management measures and best management practices (BMP) are often introduced on farms. However, the impact of those practices and the follow up to such measures are often not done on sites where BMPs have been implemented. A cost effective tool was developed for farmers to assess the current quality of water in streams or rivers and also to verify improvements made by the introduction of BMPs by biological monitoring. The biological method is simple and verify the presence and life of microorganisms and it is simple and require little formation and cost less than chemical monitoring kits ( $20 vs. $140 U.S.). Farmers can work with local schools or conservation organizations (ex: 4-H) to conduct monitoring.

Monitoring is a important part of management practices and would help introduce them and maintain them if people involved in the adoption of BMPs take the time to verify or are aware of the impact of their adoption.

Production Subsidy and Countervailing Duties in Vertically Related Markets: The Hog-Pork Case between Canada and the United States

Posted in: Economics by admin on | No Comments

This paper analyzed countervailing duties aimed at offsetting the effects of a production subsidy, with specific application to the case of hog production subsidies in Canada and countervailing duties on hogs and pork by the United
States. Whether only hog imports, or both hog and pork imports, should be countervailed depends on the objective pursued with countervailing duties. If the objective is to restore the welfare of hog producers only, a duty on hog
imports will suffice. On the other hand, if the objective is to offset the effects of the subsidy on both U.S. hog and pork producers, duties on
both hog and pork imports are necessary.

A Natural History of the Senses

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

An overview of the sense of smell and the psychological reactors it induces including recall memory of events and smells.

Salinity Risks on Calcareous Soils Following Pig Slurry Applications

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

The addition of pig slurry to soils of arid and semi-arid areas could result in an increase in salinity of those soils when considering the electrical conductivity of pig slurry. Experiments were done to verify the changes in soil salinity and the results showed that after manure application done at a rate of 400 m3/ha per year or more for a two year period presented a salinity risk as the electrical conductivity and soluble salt concentration had increased. An increase in the soil water-holding capacity, resulted in higher salinity risks. The water soluble potassium concentrations increased the most as potassium is present in manure and was applied at high rates. The composition of the clay fraction in the soil and its cation exchange capacity were determinant factor in the proportion of the potassium proportion in the soil.

The application of manure should be restricted to less than 200m3/ha in arid and semi-arid areas as the risks of salinity increase because of cation exchanges occurring with the sodium salts and manure components in the soil.

Respiratory symptoms and ventilatory capacity in swine confinement workers

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Etude en laboratoire du ruissellement et de l'infiltration de l'eau suite a l'epandage du lisier de porc.

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

This research was done to verify the impact of manure spreading on the runoff when a rain occurs after the manure has been applied to the soil. As the size of swine production units increase, manure has often to be applied late in the fall or early in the spring regardless of the climatic conditions which could lead to runoff. As the experiments were done in laboratory, the results have to be considered with caution. The real values obtained may not be applicable for fields situations however the general behavior is likely to be the same. When manure is applied, the runoff situation will happen sooner as the soil is already humid by the important volume of liquid applied, the volume of runoff is also increased and the infiltration rate is lower particularly if the rain occur 1 hour after spreading.

Beak trimming effects on performance, behavior and welfare of chickens. A review.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Formation de glace dans les reservoirs a lisier

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

The ice in manure concrete manure tanks present an additionnal load on the structure and ice thickness has to be determined for a given geographical situation in order to consider it in the design of the structure. Improperly design manure storage structures can fail and cause leakage and environmental contamination.

Ohio Livestock Manure and Wastewater Management Guide

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Animal manure is commonly used as a fertilizer and soil conditioner. Nutrients from manure (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) help build and maintain soil fertility and improve soil properties by adding organic matter. Proper land application of animal manures can yield an economic return by wisely using the available nutrients to meet crop nutrient needs. Excess application of manure is wasteful and can lead to excess nutrients in the soil, pollute surface and ground water, harm crops, and contaminate soil. A buildup of phosphorus beyond a soil-test level of 300 pounds Bray P, can result in a recommendation that no manure be applied for crop production purposes. Application rates of incorporated manure or manure applied to low-runoff-potential sites with a soil-test level of 250 pounds Bray P, may be limited to the crop nutrient removal rate, which is the amount of nutrients removed from the soil by the harvested crop. The same application restrictions may hold for surface-applied on high-runoff-potential sites with a soil-test level greater than 60 pounds Bray P1.
The study goes on to provide an illustration of how to determine the amount of land required for manure application based strictly on crop nutrient removal rates and raw-manure nutrient production rates. For more information refer to “Manure Management Worksheet” and “Determining Recommended Manure-Application Rates”.

Influence of increasing photoperiod and toe clipping on breast buttons of turkeys.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments