Provide some discussion on putting together Tour and Demonstration educational events. To Provide real life demonstrations and educational opportunities dealing with Mortality management.
What did we do?
The agent participated on a multi-state and multi country steering committee to organize and host an international symposium on Animal Mortality and Disposal Management. This was the 5th symposium and had 179 registered attendees from 11 different countries: Australia, Canada, China, Georgia, Korea, New Zealand, Nigeria, the UK, the US, Tunisia, and Vietnam.
The agent served as the host state coordinator (Penn), the 3 bus tour coordinator and the demonstration’s chairperson. Demonstrations included high density foaming, compost pile building and turning, environmental grinder processors, Clean Harbor Industries, truck wash stations, and proper euthanasia with cap and bolt guns. The agent will list the success and challenges of these types of demonstrations and educational events. Results are from the 5th International Symposium on Managing Animal Mortality, Products, and By-products, and Associated Health Risk: Connecting Research, Regulations and Response at the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center on Wednesday, September 30, 2015.
Examples of demonstrations during the field day
What have we learned?
Excellent industry tours and Farm tours and Demonstrations are an excellent learning opportunity. All Parties including Extension, Farmers, Industry and government personnel can benefit from hands on education. Those in attendance gained skills and knowledge to be able to host their own training sessions and to be better prepared to handle animal mortality outbreaks and events in their own state. They gained a first hand experience on pile building and related technologies for this type of event.
Turning of a 60 day compost pile
Future Plans
The International Committee on Animal Mortality and Waste Products is a collection of University researchers and educators, State Department of Agriculture, Federal Homeland Security and Environmental Protection Agency personnel. The committee plans to meet for future International Symposiums as needed.
The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2017. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Cary, NC. April 18-21, 2017. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.
Come to this session to learn about the Nutrient Recycling Challenge and meet some of the involved partners and experts, as well as some innovators who are competing to develop nutrient recovery technologies that meet the needs of pork and dairy farmers. This session will begin with an overview of the challenge. Next, innovators will provide snapshot presentations about the technology ideas they are working on, followed by live feedback/Q&A sessions on each technology where we can harness the buzzing brainpower at Waste to Worth. Finally, we will move into a “workshop” designed to support innovators participating in the Nutrient Recycling Challenge as they refine their designs before they build prototypes.
What did we do?
Background on the Nutrient Recycling Challenge
At Waste to Worth 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a brainstorm session about developing technologies that livestock farmers want to help manage manure nutrients. That session sowed the seeds for the Nutrient Recycling Challenge—a global competition to find affordable and effective nutrient recovery technologies that create valuable products farmers can use, transport, or sell to where nutrients are in demand. Pork and dairy producers, USDA, and environmental and scientific experts saw the tremendous opportunity to generate environmental and economic benefits, and partnered with EPA to launch the challenge in November 2015 (www.nutrientrecyclingchallenge.org).
What have we learned?
There is a tremendous opportunity to generate environmental and economic benefits from manure by-products, but further innovation is needed to develop more effective and affordable technologies that can extract nutrients and create products that farmers can use, transport, or sell more easily to where nutrients are in demand.
In the Nutrient Recycling Challenge, innovators have proposed a range of technology systems to recover nitrogen and phosphorus from dairy and swine manure, including physical, chemical, biological, and thermal treatment systems. Some such systems may also be compatible with manure-to-energy technologies, such as anaerobic digesters. Farms of all sizes are interested in nutrient recovery, and there is demand for diverse types of technologies due to a diversity in end users. To improve the adoptability of nutrient recovery systems, it is critical that innovators are mindful of the affordability of technologies, and work to lower capital and operations and maintenance costs, and improve the potential for returns on investment. A key factor for offsetting the costs of a technology and improving its marketability will be in its ability to generate valuable nutrient-containing products that are competitive in the market.
Future Plans
The challenge has four phases, in which innovators are turning concepts into designs, and eventually to pilot these working technologies on livestock farms. Thirty-four innovator teams whose concepts were selected from Phase I are refining technology designs in Phase II. Design prototypes will be built in Phase III. This workshop is designed to help innovators maximize their potential for developing nutrient recovery technologies that meet farmer needs.
Corresponding author, title, and affiliation
Joseph Ziobro, Physical Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Hema Subramanian, Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Overview of the Nutrient Recycling Challenge, Hema Subramanian and Joseph Ziobro of EPA
Nutrient Recycling Challenge Partner Introductions, Nutrient Recycling Challenge Partners (including National Milk Producers Federation, Newtrient, Smithfield Foods, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Energy, and Water Environment & Reuse Foundation)
Showcase of Innovators’ Technology Ideas
Decanter Centrifuge and Struvite Recovery for Manure Nutrient Management, Hiroko Yoshida
Manure Solids Separation BioFertilizer Produccion Drinking Water Efluente, Aicardo Roa Espinosa
Nutrient Recovery from Anaerobic Digestates, Rakesh Govind
Organic Waste Digestion and Nutrient Recycling, Steven Dvorak
Manure Treatment with the Black Solder Fly, Simon Gregg
Nutrient Recycling Challenge Workshop for Innovators
Developing technologies: From concept to pilot (to full-scale), Matias Vanotti
Waste Systems Overview for Dairy and Swine and Innovative Technologies: What Steps Should be Taken (Lessons Learned), Jeff Porter
The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2017. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Cary, NC. April 18-21, 2017. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.
To provide information about commonly-found manure management systems and approaches in North Carolina and the Coastal Plains, and discuss opportunities for technological innovation in the areas of manure management and nutrient recovery/utilization. Hear from a diverse panel of researchers, animal agriculture producers, and agency representatives who will provide background on the environmental conditions of the region and discuss specific technical considerations for innovative research and development. Learn about what has and hasn’t worked in past attempts to recover nutrients at animal agriculture farms in the area, and about the exciting possibilities for innovation in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Nutrient Recycling Challenge (www.nutrientrecyclingchallenge.org).
What did we do?
N/A
What have we learned?
N/A
Future Plans
N/A
Corresponding author, title, and affiliation
Joseph Ziobro, Physical Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Hema Subramanian, Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Dr. John Classen, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, College of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University
Dr. Kelly Zering, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, North Carolina State University
Additional information
Session Agenda
Background, history, and technical information about manure management in North Carolina and the Coastal Plains
Presenter: Dr. John Classen, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, College of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University
Lessons Learned from the Smithfield Agreement
Presenter: Dr. Kelly Zering, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, North Carolina State University
Panel: Challenges and Opportunities around Manure Management Systems
Moderator: Hema Subramanian
Panel to include the above speakers plus representatives from the local animal agriculture industry, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
This on-farm study looked at the full-scale treatment effects of anaerobic digestion on the composition of manure effluent from an agronomic and air quality perspective. The goal was to improve our understanding of the role that anaerobic digestion may play in managing manure as a fertilizer and in reducing odor and other air emissions.
What did we do?
Manure slurry and digester effluent samples were collected from a swine production operation in eastern Nebraska that utilizes a complete-mix anaerobic digester to treat the manure and produce biogas for generating electricity. Samples were collected from three sites in the manure stream (below-barn pit, digester outlet, and holding pond) over a 15-month period to observe changes in manure and head-space gas composition as a result of manure treatment and over time. Manure analyses included common agronomic measures (N-P-K, pH, micronutrients, etc.) and measures of biological decomposition potential (i.e. chemical oxygen demand, volatile solids content). Gases released by manure samples (‘head-space air’) were analyzed for odor precursors (i.e. volatile fatty acids, aromatic compounds, and ammonia).
The manure nutrient analyses were then used to determine nitrogen-based application rates for a later comparison of fertilizing dryland corn using i) undigested manure from deep pits; ii) digester effluent; iii) digested manure held in earthen storage; and iv) anhydrous ammonia (control). Material for each treatment was knifed into duplicated test strips using commercial injection equipment. Each strip was 30 feet wide (twelve 30″ rows) x 360 feet long for an area of 1/4 acre. The yield for each strip was obtained at harvest using data from the combine’s yield monitoring system.
What have we learned?
A trend was observed for ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) content of the digester effluent to be greater than in the raw manure [influent], but then NH3-N dropped substantially during subsequent storage in the earthen basin. These observations are consistent with anticipated ammonia generation during digestion (as organic nitrogen is converted to aqueous ammonia ) followed by loss of ammonia to the atmosphere as the treated manure is stored in an open structure. When considering effects on fertilizer value, the study provided supporting evidence that a digester has very little direct effect on total nitrogen content, but tends to increase NH3-N content. Similar corn yields (averaging 156 to 163 Bu/Ac) were obtained for each treatment. Our conclusion was that digesters increase the availability of nitrogen in manure for plant growth, which unfortunately may also increase losses of this valuable plant nutrient via ammonia volatilization.
Volatile solids (or total organic matter) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) contents in stored digester effluent showed considerable decreases from undigested manure in the below-barn pit. Loss of volatile solids and COD as the manure moved through the digester and during storage in the basin is consistent with consumption of organic matter and production of methane and other biogases. Another clear trend was for odorous compounds to decrease in concentration as the manure slurry moved through the digester and as the effluent was subsequently stored in the basin. When the digester was operating as designed, chemical oxygen demand was reduced by an average of 45%, odorous volatile fatty acids were reduced by an average of 66%, and ammonia increased by an average of 58%.
Funding for this work was provided by the National Pork Board (#08-259) and the Nebraska Environmental Trust. Appreciation acknowledged for in-kind efforts of the pork producer and owner of O’Lean Energy, LLC.
Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), causes the potentially fatal respiratory disease in horses known as “strangles”, while the closely related Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) causes potentially fatal infections in humans. A study was undertaken to determine the survival of these 2 organisms in compost and soiled bedding.
What did we do?
Dacron bags were filled with a feedstock mixture of soiled equine bedding and feed waste at ratios of 3:1 (C:N ratio 40.6), 1:1 (C:N ratio 31.9), and 1:4 (C:N ratio 25.4). The Dacron bags were inoculated with S. zooepidemicus, and placed in 3 compost windrows of the same 3 feedstock ratios 24 h later. Streptococci were quantified at different time points. Next, S. equi was inoculated into Dacron bags then placed into a compost windrow of the same feedstock ratio. Streptococci were quantified. To rule out killing of both Streptococcal species by microflora during the 24 h storage period, samples of soiled equine bedding, both autoclaved and non-autoclaved, were inoculated with S. zooepidemicus and periodically sampled. A repeated study was conducted with S. equi. To determine the role of moisture on the killing of S. equi in equine waste, soiled equine bedding was dried at 37 °C for 48 h and sterile water then added to dried bedding.
What have we learned?
Microbes in soiled equine bedding may eliminate Streptococci, indicating that normal compost microflora may provide sustainable methods for the control of human and animal pathogens.
Future Plans
Future studies could assess the role of individual bacterial species in the abatement of Streptococci, and possible additives to a compost pile which might increase numbers of streptocidal organisms. In addition, compost could be examined to discover novel antibiotics or bacteriophages which may be used for disease control.
Corresponding author, title, and affiliation
Alexandria Garcia, Graduate Student, University of Maine
Dr. Robert Causey, Associate Professor at University of Maine, Scott Mitchell, Student, Kathleen Harvey, Student, Ashley Myer, Student, Mark Hutchison, Extension Professor, and Martin Stokes, Professor
Additional information
Garcia, Alexandria, “Abatement of Streptococcus equi in Equine Compost” (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2435.
Maine Agricultural Center, Dr. M. Susan Erich, Mark Hutchinson
The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2017. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Cary, NC. April 18-21, 2017. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.
Pasture dry matter intake of many horses (e.g., mature idle horses) exceeds that necessary to provide daily energy requirements creating an inefficiency. One strategy for regulating pasture intake is to restrict the herbage mass (HM) available for grazing by “pre-grazing” with horses having higher nutrient requirements (e.g., work, growth, lactation), or an entirely different species (e.g., cattle, sheep or goats) using a “leader-follower” rotational grazing system. Another strategy for regulating pasture intake is to restrict the time allowed for grazing. Both methods have the potential to improve the efficiency of pasture use by preventing over-consumption.
What did we do?
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of regulating pasture intake by: 1) restricting HM available for grazing, or 2) restricting time allowed for grazing. In the first experiment six mature geldings were assigned to a HIGH (n=3) or LOW (n=3) density HM pasture (0.37 ha) for a 7 d. Treatments were reversed and carried out for an additional 7 d. The LOW pasture HM was achieved by mowing to a predetermined sward height that yielded a target HM. Mowing was used to achieve the target HM, instead of “leader-follower” rotational grazing, in order to accurately obtain the desired target HM. Herbage mass of each grazing cell was estimated using a weighted falling plate meter according to Vibart et al. (1). Body weight (BW) was measured on d-0 and 7 and changes in BW were used to reflect differences in DM intake between treatments. Mean HM available at the start of grazing was 876 and 2180 ± 76 kg DM/ha, for LOW and HIGH, respectively (Treatment P < .001), and corresponds to approximately 11 and 27 kg DM•d^-1•hd^-1 available for grazing, for LOW and HIGH, respectively, assuming a grazing efficiency of 70%. Herbage mass density decreased from d-1 to 7 (Treatment x Day; P < 0.001) by 148 and 771 ± 105 kg DM/ha for LOW and HIGH, respectively. The magnitude of BW change tended (P = .06) to be greater for LOW (-11.5 ± 3.9 kg) than HIGH (3.3 ± 3.9). The tendency for BW loss in LOW was likely a function of decreased intake leading to decreased gut fill, as opposed to a body tissue loss, given the estimated initial HM for LOW was more than adequate to meet energy requirements of all 3 horses over the 7-d period (i.e., approximately 11 kg DM•d^-1•hd^-1) (3). The greater HM reduction in HIGH, as compared to LOW, suggests horses in HIGH consumed more forage than required to meet maintenance energy requirements (e.g., potentially 14 kg DM/d), and! represen ts inefficient use of pasture.
A second experiment using eight mature geldings maintained in a single pasture (1.5 ha) and containing approximately 3,000 kg DM/ha was conducted to determine the effect of restricting time available for grazing on pasture DM intake. Horses were randomly assigned to either continuous grazing (CG; n=4) or restricted grazing (RG; n=4) for 14 d. Horses in the RG group were muzzled to prevent grazing from 1600 to 800 the following day, but otherwise allowed to graze freely. Body weight was measured on d-0, 7 and 14. Differences in body weight between treatments were used as an indicator of differences in pasture DM intake. Body weight was not different between treatments on d-0, however BW increased from d-0 to 7 for CG (22 ± 6.6 kg; P < .01), and decreased over the same period for RG (-19 ± 6.6 kg; P < .01). The gain in BW along with the initial 3,000 kg DM/ha available for grazing (approximately 28 kg DM•d-1•hd-1) suggests CG consumed DM well above that required for meeting maintenance energy requirements; whereas the loss of BW in RG suggests reduced DM intake as compared to CG. A longer term study is necessary to determine if BW change observed for RG stabilizes or continues on a downward trajectory, indicating restriction was too severe.
1. Vibart RE, White-Bennet SL, Green JT, Washburn SP. Visual assessment versus compressed sward heights as predictors of forage biomass in cool-season pastures. J Dairy Sci. 2004;87:36.
2. Walker GA. Common Statistical Methods for Clinical Research. Vol. 2nd. Cary, NC: SAS Institute, Inc; 2002.
3. NRC. Nutrient Requirements of Horses: Sixth Revised Edition. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press; 2007. 360 p.
What have we learned?
The results of both experiments suggest that: 1) Mature idle horses, continuously grazing abundant pasture, consume more DM than is necessary to meet daily energy requirements representing inefficiency, 2) restriction of either herbage mass available for grazing, or time available for grazing can be developed as tools to regulate pasture DM intake of grazing horses, and ultimately enhance efficiency of pasture use.
Future Plans
Future plans include designing experiments to refine both restriction of herbage mass available for grazing, and time available for grazing as practical methods for improving the efficiency of feeding horses on pasture.
Corresponding author, title, and affiliation
Paul D. Siciliano, Professor, North Carolina State University
Morghan A. Bowman, Graduate Research Assistant, North Carolina State University
Additional information
Glunk, E.C., Pratt-Phillips, SE and Siciliano, P.D. 2013. Effect of restricted pasture access on pasture dry matter intake rate, dietary energy intake and fecal pH in horses. J. of Equine Vet. Sci. 33(6):421-426.
Dowler, L.E., Siciliano, P.D., Pratt-Phillips, S.E., and Poore, M. 2012. Determination of pasture dry matter intake rates in different seasons and their application in grazing management. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 32(2):85-92.
Siciliano, P.D. and S. Schmitt. 2012. Effect of restricted grazing on hindgut pH and fluid balance. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 32(9):558-561.
Acknowledgements
This project was supported by the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service.
The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2017. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Cary, NC. April 18-21, 2017. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.
This presentation will review the existing multi-species literature on nutrient cycling and how it is affected by the horse’s diet and rotational grazing.
Grazed pastures, particularly rotationally grazed pastures, recycle nutrients faster than ungrazed pastures. Nutrients on pasture land enter through animal waste, and waste feed or fertilizer; they leave through removal of forage, leaching/runoff, or animal product/waste removal. Taking away the animal component removes about half of the inputs needed to recycle the nutrients. Dietary nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are required for basic maintenance of horses; however, not all of what is consumed is used by the animal, therefore the dietary concentrations of these nutrients will impact the nutrient cycling. Digestibility of N, P and K in horses is approximately 80, 25 and 75 %, respectively. What does not get digested will end up excreted back into the soil.
What did we do?
For example, in one study eight Standardbred mares were divided into two groups and received diets of grass hay and grain. The high P (HP) group received 142 g/d of NaH2PO4, formulated to provide 4.5-times the dietary P requirement, or 65 g phosphorus/d. The low P (LP) group received 28 g of phosphorus/d in the basal diet. Data showed that horses receiving the HP diet excreted higher P and water extractable P in the manure than those fed the LP diet (Table 1; Westendorf and Williams, 2015). The same goes for N, where one study used a treatment group that was supplemented with 700 g/d of soybean meal top dressed on 500 g of sweet feed per day (TRT; 1042 g protein/d DM total), while the control group received the sweet feed meals without the soybean meal (CON; 703 g protein/d total). Both groups were also fed 8 kg/d of a grass hay mix (562 g protein /d DM), water and salt ad libitum. Horses fed the TRT diet excreted more N and NH3 than horses fed the CON diet (Figure 1; Williams et al., 2011).
What have we learned?
More intensive grazing also creates an increased rate of nutrient cycling due to the added animal inputs on the land. Even though no horse related studies have been performed on this topic studies in cattle have found that plant-available N levels doubled when cattle were rotationally grazed with five grazings per season instead of three (Baron et al., 2002). Kenny (2016) looked at horses grazed under either a continuous or rotational grazing system (see Pictures 1 and 2, Left to Right, respectively) and found no differences in system after one year of grazing, however, the author concludes that more time on the system could have generated differences.
Other factors that affect the rate of nutrient cycling include amount of legumes in the pasture, distribution of manure on pastures (i.e. relation to water, shelters and fencing), and use or rates of fertilizer.
Future Plans
More equine specific studies need to be performed looking at how grazing systems and equine diets affect nutrient cycling and how horse farm owners can utilize this to best manage their farm for optimal nutrient utilization.
Corresponding author, title, and affiliation
Carey A. Williams, Equine Extension Specialist, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Department of Animal Science
Baron, V. S., E. Mapfumo, A. C. Dick, M. A. Naeth, E. K. Okine, and D. S. Chanasyk. 2002. Grazing intensity impacts on pasture carbon and nitrogen flow. J. Range Manage. 55:525-541.
Kenny, L. B. 2016. The Effects of Rotational and Continuous Grazing on Horses, Pasture Condition, and Soil Properties. Master thesis, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ.
Westendorf, M. L., and C. A. Williams. 2015. Effects of excess dietary phosphorus on fecal phosphorus excretion and water extractable phosphorus in horses. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 35:495-498. doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2015.01.020
Williams, C. A., C. Urban, and M. L. Westendorf. 2011. Dietary protein affects nitrogen and ammonia excretion in horses. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 31:305-306.
The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2017. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Cary, NC. April 18-21, 2017. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.
In Pennsylvania there has been an increased emphasis on farm and nutrient management practices on equine operations due to expansion of environmental regulations. Of the 31,000 operations which house horses in Pennsylvania, 23,250 are non-commercial operations and over 75 percent are on limited acreage, requiring intensive management. Managers of equine operations frequently do not have agricultural backgrounds and need assistance with farm management plans. Proper management of equine operations requires a series of complementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) that implement strategies to preserve pasture vegetative cover, to balance nutrient production with nutrient utilization, to properly manage excess manure nutrients, and to manage equine operations for minimal release of sediment.
This environmental program was developed to identify needed BMPs for the equine industry and help farm mangers understand, select, and implement sustainable farm management practices. The program consisted of three components: Documentation of existing practices and conditions on equine operations, educational outreach to increase knowledge and skills, and on-farm implementation of BMPs. These three projects covering 2009-2015, measured sediment and nutrient losses, for high density horse operations; and recorded environmentally sound farm management practices.
What did we do?
Project 1- documented conservation and farm management practices on 23 equine operations, quantitatively evaluated pasture desirable plants and canopy cover, sampled feed, hay and soil, and conducted nutrient management audits. Pasture data, collected using line point transect methodology, included calculation of percent canopy cover, basal stems and desirable forage. The 23 surveyed operations were used to develop a baseline for total nutrient balances and levels for the Pennsylvania horse industry.
Project 2- looked at nitrogen and phosphorus inputs on 14 farms to determine the risk of horse farms for non-point source pollution. Over a 12 months period, amounts of imported fertilizer, hay, concentrate feed, and bedding were obtained from farm managers. Samples of hay, concentrate feed, and bedding were taken from each farm and analyzed for N and P. Whole farm nutrient balance was calculated as a percent by the equation ((imported nutrients- exported nutrients) /imported nutrients) X 100. Nitrogen and P whole farm balances were recorded as a percentage basis for the total farm and on a kilogram basis for per animal unit and per hectare values. PROC SURVEYMEANS was used to determine descriptive statistics on the sample and whole farm balance values.
Project 3- involved 95 farm operations (1,086.90 ac.) in a project designed to implement practices to increase canopy cover and desirable forages in pastures and reduce nutrient and sediment loss. The team provided individual assistance to help owners locate resources, technical assistance and funding. All farm managers (n=95) farms were visited documenting conservation/management practices, BMPs already in place and identification of areas of concern/improvement needs. The team finalized field farm survey instruments, quantitatively documented pasture plants/canopy cover, sampled feed/hay/soil, and conducted nutrient management audits. Pasture data was collected using line point intercept and Equine Pasture Evaluation Disc methodology. All plant species were documented with pasture condition scores generated using pasture condition score sheets.
Out of the 95 farms visited, a total of 43 farm (744.55 ac. collectively), pastures were targeted for improvement, soil tested and prepared for methods to improve the pasture grass stands. Farms selected to reseed pastures were provided with a seed mix that was custom blended for their farm based on soil conditions, farm management, pasture needs and level of use.
Twenty-seven of the farms conducted reseeding using a no-till drill, 8 farms utilized conventional plowing and 8 farms utilized broadcasting and/or frost seeding. The remaining 48 farms did not need to reseed and instead received recommendations on methods to improve and manage existing forage quality through improving or utilizing BMPs. Four farms did not continue involvement in the program after the initial farm visit by the team.
What have we learned?
Project 1- The surveyed farms have helped to validate and evaluate existing tools on horse operations. The “pasture sediment loss” tools used (at that time) in this project (PA RUSLE2, Pasture Condition Score, Nutrient Balancing, Pasture Nutrient Balancing sheets and PA Phosphorous-Index) helped to analyze the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of the nutrient reduction strategies. The survey results have shown that these selected tools need to be adjusted in order to properly measure sediment and soil loses on horse farms.
Smaller farm operators reported a major hurdle to managing pastures is lack of knowledge and lack of equipment. In addition, 33% of farm managers reported they wanted to utilize the suggested practices, but required financial assistance or more technical information.
Results of the information gathered by the Equine Environmental Stewardship (EES) team projects has been used and examined by state agencies, assisting in development of in-service training for their personnel, used in revising potential regulations and assistance concerning horse farm operations.
Study 2- The majority of the horses on the farms were non-breeding horses, which the only managed output was manure. Four of the farms did not export any manure, 3 exported a small portion of their collected manure and 6 exported all their collected manure. Whole farm balance inputs averaged 53 kg N per 1000 lbs of animal (AU) and 13 kg P/AU. Whole farm balances ranged from 100% retention of imported nutrients where no products were exported to a negative balance where all collected manure was exported. Average N and P whole farm balances were 73% and 51% retention of inputs, respectively. With limited export of nutrients from horse farms as foals or manure, more manure must be exported and/or nutrient imports must be decreased to approach nutrient balance and decrease the risk of nutrient pollution.
Project 3- Out of the 95 farms visited, a total of 43 farms (representing 744.5 acres) were reseeded. Twenty farms needed to utilize the no-till drill purchased through the project grant. Pastures chosen for reseeding had low forage yields and canopy covers less than 50%. After reseeding the pastures, yields increased to 1.0 to 2.0 tons per acre resulting in an economic gain that averaged $450 to $600 per acre.
In conclusion: The Team noted that farm owners are committed to adopting practices that maintain healthy horses, healthy farms, and a healthy environment. Each of the farms listed worked with the Equine Team to select and implement one or more Best Management Practices (BMPs) on their farm. BMP’s were chosen to increase pasture canopy cover and improve pasture quality, proper composting and or disposal of manure, and ration formulation. Practicing rotational grazing, utilizing sacrifice areas, soil testing and applying lime and fertilizers are BMPs farmers were encouraged to adopt.
Future Plans
The survey results are being used in the development of the curriculum for Environmental Stewardship short courses, to help agency personnel understand the equine industry and to help farm owners develop the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt environmentally sound farm management practices.
Corresponding author, title, and affiliation
Ann Swinker, Extension Horse Specialist, Pennsylvania State University
Bott, R., Greene, E., Trottier, N., Willliams, C., Westendorf, M., Swinker N., Mastellar, S., Martinson, K., Environmental implications of nitrogen output on horse operations: A review, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 08/2015; DOI:10.1016/j.jevs.2015.
Swinker, A., D. Foulk, H. McKernan , Environmentally Friendly Farm Program Recognizes Pennsylvania Farms that Adopt Sound Management Practices Protecting Water Quality and the Environment, Waste to Worth, Seattle WA, March 31 – April 3, 2015.
USDA, CIG Grant Final Report: Pennsylvania Small Farm Environmental Stewardship Program: Implementing Conservation Practices on Small Farms and Using Environmental, Agreement Number: 69-3A75-11-180. 56 pages.
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant and SARE Grant for funding this project. USDA Regional Project, NE-1041, All the hard work of the PSU Extension Equine Team
The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2017. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Cary, NC. April 18-21, 2017. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.
In Nebraska alone, nearly 400 earthen manure storage structures are in operation; approximately four dozen requests to cease operation of permitted lagoons were received by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality in the prior decade with many more non-permitted storage structures being in need of proper closure. Abandoned livestock lagoons, earthen manure storage basins, and other manure storages (e.g. concrete pits) need to be decommissioned in a manner that controls potential environmental risk and makes economical use of accumulated nutrients. Currently, limited guidance is available to support lagoon closure planning and implementation and few professionals who support livestock producers have experience planning or participating in the manure storage closure process. The main focus of this project was to produce two videos that document the processes for planning and executing a lagoon closure.
What did we do?
The University of Nebraska Haskell Ag Laboratory, located near Concord, NE, had an anaerobic lagoon that was operated for over 20 years, but has not received swine manure additions since 2009 when the swine unit was depopulated. The decommissioning of this storage structure was proposed in 2014 and provided our team an opportunity to plan, implement and document the procedures necessary to properly close this structure. When we went to find material on how to accomplish this properly, we did not find suitable material. Two grants were secured in 2016 from the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence (USPCE) to fund our team efforts to document the closure process – from planning to completion – with two separate videos. The first video is focused on the planning activities necessary to prepare for removal and utilization of stored liquid and sludge. The second is focused on the liquid and sludge removal and utilization activities, decommissioning of conveyance structures, and deconstruction of the lagoon berm to return the site to a natural grade.
Activities conducted to execute the lagoon closure have included:
1) Mapping of sludge levels with sonar and analyzing sludge samples to estimate volume and nutrient content of sludge, which enabled development of a land application plan for utilizing the products
Figure 1. Sonar sludge mapping.
2) De-watering the lagoon (effluent used for sprinkler irrigation and flood irrigation)
3) Hosting a demonstration event during which participants:
a. observed sludge removal and land application processes,
b. participated in a manure spreader calibration,
c. inspected the soil beneath the lagoon liner,
d. viewed the abandoned production buildings and heard about options for eliminating conveyance of liquid from the building to the lagoon,
e. explored alternative sludge removal methods, and
f. participated in a classroom session where presenters shared details of the closure planning process, cost-share opportunities for closure of manure storage structures, and expectations for re-grading and re-seeding the site following removal of sludge.
Figure 2. Participants learned about planning land application of the sludge.
Figure 3. Land application of the sludge and calibration of the manure spreader.
4) Removing the sludge and applying it to cropland following the demonstration event.
Documentation of all planning, demonstration, and closure execution activities have been captured via extensive video footage, still photos, and participant interviews. Production of the videos is in process with completion and release of videos anticipated in summer 2017.
What have we learned?
Although every manure storage closure process is expected to present its own unique challenges and opportunities for learning, the process documented during this project has provided a number of insights:
1) While this process involved pumping liquid from the lagoon prior to attempting sludge removal in order to observe the sludge layer and document the volume present, a more appropriate, and likely more effective, process is to agitate the storage prior to and during pumping activities to enable handling all of the material as a slurry;
2) Dewatered sludge volume (nearly 200,000 gallons) and nutrient content (44.2 lbs. TKN, 37.5 lbs. organic N, 89.3 lbs. P2O5 and 7.6 lbs. K2O per 1,000 gallons) for this system yielded enough nutrients to apply to 80-100 acres, based on a phosphorus removal rate. It is unknown what the release of the organic N component of the sludge will be, but using just the phosphorus content, application of 1000 gallons per acre would provide enough phosphorus for what would be removed from 220 bushels of corn, which is worth approximately $35 with winter 2017 prices.;
3) Given the high phosphorus content in the sludge and that the nearby fields at the Haskell Ag Lab were not in need of phosphorus, an appropriate application rate for the sludge was determined as 8-10 tons/acre;
4) Soil beneath the lagoon liner yielded a phosphorus concentration of 556 ppm, likely a result of an inadequate liner in the lagoon as originally constructed in the 1960s; and
5) Installation of a bentonite clay liner during renovation of the structure in 1992 appeared to be effective as the liner was fully intact when observed during closure activities.
Pre-post surveys completed by 33 attendees of the demonstration event revealed that attendees improved their confidence in performing six key tasks identified by the team as being impactful. Results are summarized in Figure 4.
Figure 4. Impacts of the lagoon closure demonstration event.
Future Plans
We plan to continue the decommissioning process by:
1) Completing sludge removal and application to cropland;
2) Deconstructing the berms, leaving the liner intact, and returning the area to natural grade;
3) Seeding the area to establish ground cover and mitigate runoff and erosion; and
4) Plugging the inlet pipes in manure pits within the animal housing in lieu of removing buried conveyance pipes.
The two videos are in production and will be made available through the Pork Information Gateway (www.porkgateway.org) during summer 2017.
Corresponding author, title, and affiliation
Leslie Johnson, Research Technologist, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
The authors would like to recognize the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence (USPCE) for funding the development of the videos documenting this process and enabling us to complete this project. We would also like to acknowledge that without the support of the industry, who provided equipment and advice, we would not have been able to get this project off the ground. Also a special thanks to the Agricultural Research Division for their support.
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