manure composting: opportunities and challenges katherine buckley, phd pag small market...
TRANSCRIPT
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Manure Composting: Opportunities and Challenges
Katherine Buckley, PhD PAg
Small Market Sustainability – Size Matters! Solid Waste Association of North America/Canadian Public
Works AssociationMay 11-14, 2009
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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In some places manure is a point of pride
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In others ….. Not so much
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• odour from the storage
• transportation of nutrients
• nutrient application and accumulation issues
• flexibility in window for application
• public perception
• pathogens
Challenges to livestock production partially mitigated by composting:
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Manure composting challenges:• Specifications/regulations for composting site (land
requirements)
• Hauling distance from feedlot to composting site
• Suitable equipment
• Climatic effects
• Nitrogen retention
• Product quality and consistency, plant response
• Composting of low-solids manure and layer manure
• Deriving an economic value for compost use• Acceptability for organic production (has to be
derived from organically managed livestock)• Behavior change in fertilizer use
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Specifications/regulations for compost sites
• Lack of details for compost site construction– Every site is different – some have natural
slope and underlying impervious layer– Some sites may require runoff collection,
others might be better served by grassed strips that could be harvested to remove nutrients.
– Requirement for security
These specifications need to be consistently applied across the province
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Clear guidelines are needed• Locational criteria:
– surface and ground water protection; distance from existing right–of-way; protection measures within a floodplain.
• Construction/Design Criteria: – Specify minimum requirements for pad surface;
identify need for collection, containment, and use of all waters within the site confines.
• Operational requirements– Methods of operations at the facility; analytical
data for leachate detection; manure (compost) management plan; control of public/animal access
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Management of permanent cover to capture nutrients
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Hauling distance from barn or feedlot
• To reduce cost and labour, transportation of the manure needs to be minimized.
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Bedding packF
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Removable fencing
Ext
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Alternative pen system
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Bedding packF
eede
r
Bed
ding
pac
k w
indr
ow
Alternative pen system
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Suitable equipment
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Small PTO-driven turner
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Mid-sized PTO-driven turner
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Self-propelled turner
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Composting systems - In-vessel
Aerated agitated bed Rotating aerated drum
• High capital costs• Not suitable for large livestock operation
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Climatic effects
• Hot, windy weather results in need for additional moisture– Can result in decrease in moisture below a
critical level for good compost activity– Difficult to rehydrate straw amended composts
• Extremely wet conditions result in need for frequent turning to restore porosity– Wet weather late in the composting process
can result in a soggy product– Inability to turn wet compost can increase
odour potential
• Cold, snowy conditions can hinder composting operation
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Controlling climatic effects
Light weight woven polyester or breathable GoreTex fabrics
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Controlling climatic effects
• Curing and finished compost should be covered to prevent rewetting
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Factors affecting nitrogen loss:• total nitrogen content• carbon content• pH• moisture• temperature
Nitrogen retention
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Product consistency
• Compost properties, can differ greatly in NPK values, physical characteristics, salt levels, density and porosity.
• Characteristics depend on species, bulking agent and process intensity.
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Factors affecting consistency of plant responseThe decomposition and mineralization of compost
is dependent upon: • Carbon content - lower decomposition rate at a
high C:N ratio.• Soil temperature – slower at low temperatures.• Soil moisture – slower in dry soils.• Soil texture - faster mineralization rate on sandy
soils.• Soil nutrient status - inherent fertility, pH and
microbial diversity.
A better understanding of multiple crop response to compost over time would improve marketing opportunities
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Benefits of Composting (cont’d)Manure Composting Opportunities
• Pathogen and weed seed destruction• Good source of phosphorus, potassium and
micro-nutrients• More predicable source of nutrients for crop
production than raw manure• Improved handling characteristics and
transportation• Improved soil quality• Control of soil-borne plant diseases• Improved economics of crop production
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Improved Handling and Application
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Improved Handling and Application
Physical changes during composting
Water content• Decreases from 70 to 30%
Dry matter• Mass loss of 20-30%
Bulk density • Increases 3-4 fold
Implications for transportation of product!
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Improved Handling and Application
Apply the equivalent amount of manure as raw manure and as finished compost. (Larney et al., 1999)
Fresh Manure CompostWet wt: 22.3 t Wet wt: 7.9 tWet BD: 0.3 t/m3 Wet BD: 0.7 t/m3
1 (10 m3) Truck = 3.3 t 1 (10 m3)Truck = 7 t
# Truckloads = 7
# Truckloads = 1.1
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Improved soil quality
Reduced wind erosion
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Improved soil quality
Reduced water erosion and soil crusting
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Control of plant disease
• USA – potting mixes with composted animal manure suppressed diseases caused by Pythium and Rhizoctonia.
• Spain – field trials with composted chicken litter reduced root-knot nematodes in tomato and pepper plants.
• Canada – early indications that cattle manure composts may suppress potato diseases.
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Control of plant disease
Mechanisms of action:
Competition for nutrients
Secretion of antibiotics for suppression of disease.
Parasitism of plant pathogens and consumption.
“Systemic acquired resistance” may occur, where plants grown in compost have a higher level of an enzyme associated with disease resistance.
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Control of plant disease
• The composting process must be done properly to obtain a disease-suppressive product: a poorly composted product will actually increase the risk of disease, while an over-mature product has little microbial activity.
• Future research will provide guidelines on using composts for disease control.
• It is expected that “inoculated” composts will become commercially available to prevent specific diseases in specific crop situations.
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Economic value of compost• Increase in soil aggregate (crumb) stability →
improved water absorbing capacity and permeability during heavy precipitation → higher moisture reserves during drought.
• Compaction protection, increase of soil resilience → improved traffic tolerance → decrease in draft weight and fuel.
• Enhanced soil biological activity → increased mineralization.
• The quantity of N, P, K, Zn, Cu and other trace elements.
Value of compost ~ $200/tonne
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Acknowledgements
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada “GAPS” program
• Manitoba Conservation “WRAPP” program• Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council• Western Grains Research Council• Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural
Initiatives “Green Cover” program
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