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Industry Partners
Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
On-farm solid-liquid separation of pig slurry and stabilization and storing of the solid fraction
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2006 | No Comments
The performance of a centrifugal decanter-separator to separate pig slurry into liquid and solid fractions and its main physicochemical components had been studied. The apparatus tested (Asserva-300) could be setup to any type of pig slurry, whatever the origin of the diet (farm or industrial) and type of swine raising (maternity or grower-finisher). The separating capacity in terms of volume (pig/place numbers) and separation of physicochemical components increases with the dry matter content of the slurry. The decanter-separator can process between 1,2 and 2,5m3 of raw slurry per hour. With a dry matter content of more than 3% in a grower-finisher unit and of more than 2% in a pork maternity, the apparatus separates around 70% of the phosphorous. Below these moisture levels, the performance of the separator decreases rapidly. This emphasizes the importance of optimizing water management in the barn. Correct on-farm processing and storing of the solid fraction can produce a nutrient-rich material with significantly less microbes and nuisance odours. After 90 days of observation, the best of our treatments reduced the levels of moisture, carbon, total nitrogen, fecal coliforms and odours by, respectively, 75, 35, 19, 51 and 88%. Processing of the solid fraction can thus improve its value as an organic soil fertilizer and amendment. Solid-liquid separation of pig slurry and processing and storing of the solid fraction can lower the cost of fertilizer management at the farm, while optimizing usage of nearby fields. These treatments also help maximize the use of nitrogen in the liquid fraction.
Spirit Creek Watershed Monitoring Committee – 5 Year Report
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We are the first committee of its kind for Intensive Livestock Monitoring in Canada and we are focusing on remaining completely ‘unbiased’ and to better understand the hog-related environmental issues. Our mandate is to monitor water, soil and air. We had to have a baseline. What was out there before any pigs were in the barns or any manure spread on the land was important to know in order to properly measure any impact the barns might have.
We feel it is beneficial to have a monitoring committee to tell a true balanced story of intensive livestock development. The Spirit Creek Watershed Monitoring Committee has been studying three key areas:Air, Soils and Water
Composting dead animals at the farm
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On-farm composting of dead animals is authorized in many American States and Canadian provinces and appears as an interesting solution to Québec farmers. During one year, composting of dead animals at the farm under Québec’s weather conditions on 16 sites, in the bovine, caprine, ovine and porcine sectors. For composting dead swine, we mixed sawdust to the carcasses, in a weight to weight ratio of 0,4 to 1,8 kg had been studied. Some leachate was collected from eight of the ten sites equipped with a recovery system, mostly due to an imperfect water-tightness. The amount of compost produced with sawdust varied from 1,0 to 2,0kg of dead animal. In the dead swine compost piles, we found an average moisture content of 52% and a nutrient content of 7kg total N, 7kg of P and 2kg of K per ton. The organic matter content remained high till the end of the cycle. As the aerate of the compost as not been made mechanically thefore could not perfectly hygenize the inputs. However, the level of pathogens have been maintained and even reduced compared to the inputs and of regular manure and slurry. Under the controlled conditions, composting did not emit any of the characteristical odours of putrefaction. This study demonstrated the feasibility of composting cadavers of different animal species in Québec. Roofing of the composting structure, which helps maintain continuous microbiological activity at all times are recommanded. Substrates less expensive than sawdust could significantly reduce the cost of composting.
LAGOON SEALING AND FILTER CAKES
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Nitrogen Excretion and Ammonia Emissions from Pigs Fed Modified Diets
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Animal Agriculture and the Environment
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Animal production industries have seen substantial changes over the past several decades, the result of domestic/export market forces and technological changes. The number of large operations has increased, and animal and feed production are increasingly separated in terms of both management and
geography. Concern that these changes are harming the environment has prompted local, State, and Federal policies (see Chapter 5.7, “Federal Laws Protecting Environmental Quality”) and programs to control pollution from animal production facilities.
Nitrate leaching and residual soil nitrogen supply following outdoor pig farming
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2005 | No Comments