Swine manure composition affects the biochemical origins, composition, and accumulation of odorous compounds

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2003 | No Comments

Performancfe of Finishing Pigs in Hoop Structures and Confinement During Winter amd Summer

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Performance of finishing pigs in hoop or confinement during summer and winter was evaluated in Iowa. Hoops are large tent-like shelters with corn-stalks or straw for bedding. During summer and winter seasons for thre years, 1998-2001, six trials were conducted using three hoops strcutures or mechanicallly ventilated confinement barn with slatted floors. A total of 3,518 pigs started the trials. Summer trials were June to October and winter trials were Novemeber to April. Target stocking density was 1.1 sqyare meters for hoop strcuture, and 0.74 square meters for confinement buildings. Identical corn-based diets were fed adlibitum from 16-118 kg for 127 days. Pigs were scanned before harvest for backfat and loin muscle area. When seasons were merged hoop-fed pigs had more backfat, smaller loin muscle area, less lean percentage, than confinment housed pigs. When season x housing type interactions were observed, summer hoop-fed pigs had greater ADG, required fewer days to market had similar ADFI and gain:feed compared with confinement fed pigs. Lean gain/day and efficiency of lean gain did not differ between housing systems. During winter hoop fed pigs had similar ADG required more days to market, had greater ADFI, less gain to feed, lees lean gain/day than confinment-fed pigs. Percentage of culls and mortalities did not differ between housing system. During summer there was a trend for fewer ligh weight pigs at marketing from hoops than confinement. Bedding use in hoops was 92 and 122 kg/pig for summer and winter respectively. Performance of finishing pigs in bedded hoop structures depends in part on thermal environment.

Ag Small Impact on Manitoba Waterway Phosphorus

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Research conducted by the University of Manitoba and Agriculture and Agrifood Canada indicates agriculture accounts for a small percentage of the phosphorus that ends up in Manitoba’s waterways. The majority of phosphorus that ends up in Lake Winnipeg originates from the Red River system. Of the total load of phosphorus coming into the province, 60% was coming from the U.S. and other jurisdictions and 40% was generated in Manitoba itself. Of the 40%, approximately equal proportions could be attributed to urban sources, agricultural sources and natural sources. The ratio will change depending on the flow in any particular year with the proportion from urban sources being higher during low flow years and the proportion from agricultural and natural sources being higher in high flow years.

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Initiative

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

The Canadian Pork Council has kicked off an initiative that will establish sites across Canada to demonstrate how farmers can minimize greenhouse gas emissions. The demonstration project is part of a greenhouse gas mitigation program for Canadian Agriculture announced by the federal government in 2002.
Alberta Pork in association with Alberta Taking Charge Team are setting up 4 to 6 demonstration sites dealing specifically with hog manure management. The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute in Saskatchewan is going to have a total of 9 demonstration sites set up with existing sites. Manitoba is also setting up some sites as well, dealing with barn design issues and beneficial management practices.

Extraction of Soluble Phosphorus from Swine Wastewater

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Environmental Management: More than Manure

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Every aspect of pork production should be analyzed to determine its effect on the environment. As pig production began to expand in the 80s the public became more aware. Competition was the main concern. Environmental concerns began to arise in the 90s as odour and manure management became concerns. As production units increased in size it became more of a problem and movements to shut down hog barns began. Farmers need to take into account all aspects of the environment to effectively preserve the environment. We need to look at inputs of feed, water, energy, and supplies to compare them with the outputs of hogs, manure, garbage and odor. Several programs are being developed for a good Environment Management System (EMS). An EMS is a business tool that systematically applies general management principles to environmental issues associated with the activities, products and services of an organization. This system includes planning, doing what you plan, measuring how well it works, and reviewing it to change and improve. Any EMS should follow any legality and address any environmental concerns that may be present in the area. Optional areas can be focused on such as energy conservation, water conservation, and feed usage. Areas that are already adequately managed can still improved still, such as mortality management, manure and nutrient management, and general production procedures.

Struvite precipitation in anaerobic swine lagoon liquid: effect of pH and Mg:P ratio and determination of rate constant

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Changes in Soil Phosphorus from Manure Application

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Soil Sampling of Manured and Non-Manured Fields in Grass Forage Production

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Many agricultural soils in southeastern Manitoba have a history of hog manure application and this survey was intended to compare their nutrient status with similar soils that have not received manure. The land areas that were studied were characterized by coarse textured, low agricultural capability soils in grass forage production. The study locations are considered representative of soil landscapes commonly known as the Poppleton, Pelan and Malonton soil associations. The study found that there was a higher concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus to a depth of sixty centimeters in manured fields, especially for phosphorus when compared to non-manured fields. However, at some of the non-manured sites there was evidence of elevated nitrogen and phosphorus levels that were lower than the manured sites. The importance of keeping good production records of cultural, nutrient and manure management practices are essential in providing information for relating residual nutrient levels to nutrient balances of applied organic and inorganic fertilizers. The data showed that the variability in nitrate nitrogen and phosphorus status was greater between fields than within fields, particularly for nitrogen status whether the fields were manured or non-manured. The highest concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous were found at the soil surface (0-6 inches) with nutrient levels decreasing with depth. In some cases concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were observed below the 0-6 inches depth and in some cases they were not. Deep sampling also showed concentration of nutrients below 2 feet in some cases. As with any addition of nutrients there are potential risks to runoff and surface water contamination or leaching and groundwater contamination. Soluble nutrients that are in excess of crop requirements present a greater risk of being transported to water through runoff or leaching, particularly where the soil types are characterized by coarse textures and rapid permeability. Water table depths were found to vary more between locations than within each location. At the manured locations water table depths ranged from one to two feet to greater than nine feet. Depth to water table at the non-manured locations ranged from two to three feet to greater than nine feet from the ground surface.

Ammonia, Volatile Fatty Acids, Phenolics, and Odor Offensiveness in Manure from Growing Pigs Fed Diets Reduced in Protein Concentration

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

The objective of this study was to investigate whether reducing dietary crude protein (CP) concnetration decreases fecal volatile fatty acis (VFA), manure ammonia, emission and odor and fecal urinary phenolic metobilities. Six barrows were alotted on of 6 dietary treatments in a Latin square deisgn. Treatments consisted of four corn-soybean meal based diets containing 15, 12, 9, and 6% crude protein, a caesin based diet containing 15% CP and a protein free diet. The caesin based and prtoein free diet were used to determine basal endogenous contribution of VFA, phenolics, ammonia and manure odor. Pigs were housed individually in metabolsim crates to allow total collection of faeces and urine. Feaces and urine were analyzed for VFA and phenolic metabolite concentrations, respectively. Faeces and urine were then mixed, stored and fermented at room temperature for 30 days. For ammonia determination, headspace air was sampled from manur slurries at 24, 48, and 72 hours after fermentation. Slurry samples were placed into vials, capped and randomized before odor panel evaluation. Odor effensiveness was classified on severity 1 – non-offensive and 5 – extremely offensive. Reucing CP increased VFA concentrations but did not effect phenolic concentrations in the urine. Manur ammonia emission was reduced as dietary CP concentration decreased from 15-0%. The 15% diet had the least offensive manure with odor qualitative ranking of 2.58. Compared with the 15% CP diet, manure from the 9 and 6% CP diet was found to be more offesnive with odor qualitative rankings of 2.92 and 3.10 respectively. Odor qualitative rank for th 12% CP, potein free,and casein based diets did not differ from the 15% CP iet. These results indicate that recution in dietary CP concentrations decreases ammonia emissions but doesn’t reduce odor offesniveness.