Manure Handling and Storage to Minimize N Loading of the Environment

MANURE HANDLING AND STORAGE TO MINIMIZE N LOADING OF THE ENVIRONMENT

• Reason to store manure– Preserve and contain manure nutrients until it can be

spread onto the land at a time compatible with climate and cropping system

• Goals– Maintain excreted N in non-volatile organic forms

• Undigested protein• Microbial N• Urea

– Minimize volatilization of NH3

– If N is volatilized, it should be in the form of N2

– Prevent losses of N into surface and ground water sources• Provide adequate storage until it can be safely spread

N TRANSFORMATIONS IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND MANURE STORAGE

FACILITIES

Manure N Anerobic microbial C skeletons H2S degradation (slow) VOCsFecal N(20-40% of N) Microbial N NH4

+ SlowUrine N aerobic Anerobic

(60-80% of N) Microbial NH3 NO2 N2

O urease (rapid) pH (volatile)

H2N C NH2 + H+ + H2O 2NH4+

2HCO3-

• In poultry•Urinary N is secreted as uric acid with the feces

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF NITROGEN IN THE ENVIRONMENT

National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NRSP-3). 2008. NADP Program Office,

Illinois State Water Survey, 2204 Griffith Dr., Champaign, IL 61820.

AMMONIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN PRECIPITATION

INCREASES IN MORTALITY RISKS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES PER 10 ug/m3

IN PM2.5

• NH3 volatilization increased by:– Increasing manure pH

• Increased by increased HCO3 and NH3

• Increased difference in NH3 concentration between air at manure surface and ambient air

Ambient air NH3 NH3 NH3 NH3

Manure surface NH3 NH3 NH3 NH3 NH3 NH3

FACTORS AFFECTING NH3 LOSS FROM LIVESTOCK HOUSING AND MANURE

STORAGE FACILITIES

(Gay and Knowlton, 2005)

• Increased surface area• Increased air velocity at surface• Increased ambient temperature

– Increases urease activity

– Increases NH3 mass transfer coefficient

– Increases ventilation from confinement buildings• Decreased ambient temperatures increase NH3

concentrations in confinement buidings

• Increased moisture

METHODS TO LIMIT AMMONIA VOLATILIZATION FROM MANURE

• Dietary approaches– Reduce N excretion

• Protein nutrition• Dietary fiber

– Feed acidic Ca and P sources to decrease manure pH• Examples

– Calcium chloride– Phosphoric acid

• Limitations– Unpalatable– May cause ulcers in mouth

– Feed Yucca extract• May inhibit microbial urease• Reduces NH3 emissions from 0 to 26%

• Technological approaches– Frequent cleaning of manure from facilities

• N losses by volatilization 1-time cleaning Monthly cleaning

Beef feedlot 68% 55.5% 2-times/week cleaning

Poultry housing 60 to 90% reductions compared to annual

– Reduce manure surface area• Methods

– Deep litter housing system (Poultry, swine or cattle)» Limited effectiveness (40 - 50% N losses)» Incomplete nitrification and denitrification processes

– Slatted floor with deep pit (Swine or cattle)» 25% N losses

– Tie stall with gutter (Dairy cattle)» 8% N losses

– Covers (Slurry tanks)» 4% N losses

– Increase carbon in manure• Increases C:N ration to increase microbial

growth Carbohydrate VFAs and CH4

ATP

NH3 Microbial protein

• Approaches– Increase fiber content of diet– Increase bedding

» Chopped bedding is more effective (57% reduction in NH3 emissions in cattle housing) than long straw

» Incomplete nitrification and denitrification processes in manure pack may increase NOx gases

– Acidification• Materials

– Dilute sulfuric acid– Aluminum sulfate (Alum)– Ferrous sulfate– Triple superphosphate– Superphosphate– Calcium chloride– Gypsum (Calcium sulfate)

• Spraying, flushing or spreading• Effectiveness

– 8 to 60% reductions in NH3 emissions

• Limitations– Repeated treatments– Human and animal safety– Hydrogen sulfide emissions

– Separate liquid and solids• Separates urea in urine from urease in feces• Methods

– Gravity (decreased NH3 emissions by 21 to 50%)» Inclined floors (3% slope)» Urine gutters» Sedimentation pits

– Mechanical» Screens» Centrifuges» Presses

• Handling of components– Solids

» Land applied» Composted for land application or bedding

– Liquids» Need further processing for storage» May be recycled

– Drying• Poultry housing systems• Techniques

– Conveyor belt– Dropping boards

• Effectiveness– Decreasing moisture to 40% within 50 hours reduces N

loss to 10%

– Urease inhibitors• Application

– Feedlots (0.32 oz/lb manure)» Thiophosphoric triamide» Cyclohexylphosphoric triamide

– Slurries» Phenylphosphorodiamidate

• Effectiveness– Reduces urea hydrolysis by 70 to 92%

• Limitations– Requires routine application– Limited availability

– Ammonium adsorbents• Compounts

– Clinoptilolite or Zeolite

» (Na,K,Ca)2-3Al3(Al,Si)2Si13O36.12H2O

– Peat

• Cation exchange• Effectiveness

– Reduced NH3 concentrations by 35% above broiler litter

EFFECTS OF HOUSING SYSTEMS ON N LOSSES

• Poultry– Systems

• High-rise layer hen housing– With annual cleaning

» 50% N loss» Primarily NH3

– With deep litter system » 40% N loss» NH3 , NOx, and N2 gases

– With conveyor drying» 10% N loss» Primarily NH3

• Loose (Aviary) housing– With annual cleaning

» 30% N loss» NH3 and NOx gases

• Swine– Systems

• Deep-litter– Stored for 3 to 12 months

» 50% N loss» NOx, N2, and NH3 gases

• Slatted floor with deep pit– Stored for 12 months

» 25% N loss» Primarily NH3

» Losses decreased by:Decreasing the percentage of floor that is slatted (10-20% reduction)Multiple flushings/day (30% reduction)Separation of solids from flushing liquid (70% reduction)

• Cattle– Systems

• Tie stall barn with deep gutter– With daily cleaning

» 8% N loss» NH3 , NOx, and N2 gases

• Free stall barn with scraping– With daily cleaning

» 16% N loss (Slightly greater with slatted floor)» NH3

» Losses particularly sensitive to management (Sloped floors, urine gutters, flushing etc.)

• Loose housing with deep pack– With infrequent cleaning

» 35% N loss» NH3 , NOx, and N2 gases

• Open feedlot– With annual cleaning– 50% N loss (40-90% range)– NH3 , NO3, NOx, and N2 gases– Additional losses

» Runoff (5 to 19% of excreted N)» Leaching (10 to 16% of excreted N) Dependent on maintenance of compacted soil layer

COMMON MANURE STORAGE• Solid

– Systems• Poultry

– Litter• Swine and Dairy

– Separated solids– Bedded manure

• Beef– Scraped

– N losses DM, % N loss, %

Poultry manure 50 10Swine and cattle manure 20 20• NH3, NO3, and NOx gases

– Facilities• Concrete pad with sides• Settling basins

Angela Rieck-Hinz

Angela Rieck-Hinz

– Advantages• Low volume• Low odor• Moderate nutrient retention

– Disadvantages• More labor• Must prevent precipitation run-off

– Composting• Treatment to stabilize N • 40% N loss (20-50% range)• NH3 , NO3 and NOx gases• Requirements

– Appropriate C:N ratio C:NOptimum >30:1Manures Dairy cow 10:1 Beef cow 10:1 Beef feedlot 13:1 Swine 7-8:1 Poultry 7-9:1 Horse 19:1

– Temperature» 140o F» Requires frequent turning

– Moisture level» 40-60%

– Adequate porosity» Particles should be > 1 inch

– pH» 5.5 – 7.5

Angela Rieck-Hinz

• Slurry– For livestock and poultry confinements– DM content, 7 to 12%– Facilities

• Pit under slatted floor– Needs access ports for pumping and agitation at 40

foot intervals– Ventilation is necessary– Manure is either applied directly or after storage– 25% N loss

– NH3

Angela Rieck-Hinz

• Fabricated storage tank– Manure is either scraped on top or pumped into

bottom– N losses

» Top loading, 30%» Bottom loading, 8%

– NH3

– Easily covered

Angela Rieck-Hinz

Angela Rieck-Hinz

• Earthen basin– Provides a large volume at low cost– Soil materials must seal basin– Vegetation must be maintained on berms– 30% N loss– NH3

Angela Rieck-Hinz

• Covers for slurry storage facilities– Impermeable

• Polyethylene• Effects

– Decreasing NH3 volatilization caused by» Solar radiation » Wind

– Permeable• Natural manure-bedding crust, straw, corn stalks, peat

moss, geotextile fabric, Leka rock• Effects

– Decreasing NH3 volatilization caused by» Solar radiation » Wind

– Provides a media for growth of aerobic bacteria• Considerations

– Depth 8 to 12”– Replace every 1 to 12 months (except Leka rock)

– Effectiveness• 4% N loss (2-8% range)• NH3

• Liquid systems– DM content, 5%– Anerobic lagoons

• Most common liquid system• Usually treats liquid fraction separated from solids• May be single or series• Requires warm temperatures for microbial activity• Storage N losses

– Amounts» Single stage – 50%» Use of effluent for flush water - 99%

– NH3, NOx, and N2 gases

• Management– Requires appropriate soil materials to seal lagoon– Requires solids separation– Manure additions must be slow and uniform– High odor in spring when microbial activity increases

under Midwest conditions– Requires periodic sludge removal

– Alternate treatments to limit NH3 loss from liquid systems

• Aeration– Converts NH3 to NO3

– Requirements» Second lagoon with aerator Surface pump Compressed air Aerobic biofilters» One lagoon with 2 compartments Aerobic top and Anerobic bottom

– Disadvantages» Expense» Limited effectiveness» Production of NOx gases

• Methane production– Enclosed anerobic fermentation– Can supply energy for farm or for sale– Requires additional structure for storage of effluent– Good N retention if additional storage is covered– Expense

• Constructed wetlands– For processing liquid fraction after solids separation

» N trapped in plants growing in or on wetland– Types

» Surface Most common» Subsurface Water treatment in a gravel bed Works better in winter than surface wetland May plug

N LOSSES FROM DIFFERENT MANURE HANDLING AND STORAGE SYSTEMS

N loss, % N retention, %Daily scrape and haul from barn 20-35 65-80Open lot 40-70 30-60Pile (Cattle/Swine) 10-40 60-90Pile (Poultry) 5-15 85-95Compost 20- 50 50-80Deep pit (Poultry) 25-50 50-75Litter 25-50 50-75Pit under floor (Swine) 15-30 70-85Tank above ground top loaded 20-35 65-80Tank above ground bottom loaded 5-10 90-95Tank above ground with cover 2-30 70-98Holding basin 20-40 60-80Anerobic lagoon w/ no cover 70-80 15-30Constructed wetlands 15 85

FACTORS AFFECTING SIZE OF MANURE STORAGE

• Volume of manure and wastewater produced– Include wash water, run-off from open lots and feed storage,

and water for flushing• Limitations for spreading

– Amounts of land available for spreading– Crop nutrient requirements

• Length of storage period– Climatic limitations– Length of application windows– Needs

• A minimum of 6 months storage

• Equipment capabilities• Discharge regulations

– All beef and dairy CAFOs • No discharge except for a 25-year, 24-hour storm

– All new or renewed swine, poultry, and veal CAFOs• No discharge except for a 100-year, 24-hour storm

Acknowledgements:• This course is supported in part by:

• The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Award No. 2006-51130-03700 •The Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction & Technology Transfer