composting and the value-added · 2019. 11. 6. · composting and the value-added 2017 north...

MSA PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

COMPOSTING and the Value-Added2017 NORTH AMERICAN MANURE EXPO

AUGUST 23, 2017


IntroductionAgricultural Services Team Leader

• Licensed Professional Engineer in: IA, IL, MI, MN, ND, SD, and WI

• Certified Professional of Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC)

• Author/Co-Author of compost recipe software: CoComposter and CompCALC

• Three (3) On-Farm Composting Pilot Projects

• Personally engrossed in composting – producing as much as 1,500 CY of compost annually


Environmental Risk…

~30% slopePotential Area of Stacking


Grant Program for Pilot Funding

• Farmer – Rancher Grant Program

• Partnership Grant Program

• Focus:

Evaluating the Environmental Benefits and Economic Opportunities of Windrow Composting Solid Dairy Manure


What is the process of composting?

Optimize Bacteria, Fungus, &

Bug Population

Air and in particular,Oxygen (Aerobic)

Food(Carbon & Nitrogen) Water


What if…


From Start to Finish…Farm 2 – Turn 1, mid July, 2015 Farm 1 – Final compost, mid-October 2015


Raw Data:Composting Process Progress Based on Temperature

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

July 15, 2015 August 4, 2015 August 24, 2015 September 13, 2015 October 3, 2015 October 23, 2015

TEm

pera

ture

(o F)

DATE

Farm 1 Farm 2 Farm 3 NR 502

Windrow construction and initial mixing. Assumed beginning temp of 101.5oF or typical body temp of a dairy cow.

Vertical Line notes dates of turning windrows.

Benchmark Criteria based on NR 502: For windrow method compost to meet Class A requirements the windrow needs to maintain 131oF for at least 15 days, not consecutively and be turned 5 times within the high temperature period.

For Information Only


Results Comparison

Farm 1 Farm 2 Farm 3Total Nitrogen % 1.1 0.64 0.5Organic Nitorgen % 1.09 0.64 0.5Ammonium Nitrogen % 0.006 0.005 0.003Nitrate Nitrogen % <0.01 <0.01 <0.01Phosphorus % 0.34 0.26 0.19Phos as P2O5 % 0.78 0.6 0.44Potassium % 1.22 0.34 0.42Potassium as K2O % 1.47 0.41 0.51Sulfur % 0.16 1.32 0.1Calcium % 1.39 3.07 1.29Magnesium % 0.64 0.66 0.61Sodium % 0.12 0.06 0.05Zinc ppm 115 61.6 65.1Iron ppm 3200 3230 2550Manganese ppm 239 189 166Copper ppm 20.6 <20 <20Boron ppm <20 <20 <20Moisture % 53 46.8 60.2Organic Matter % 16 13.2 12.2C:N Ratio 9:1 13:1 15:1Total Carbon % 10.23 8.08 7.29Chloride % 0.28 0.04 0.02pH 8.3 7.4 8.3Conductivity mS/cm 6.52 4.4 2.94Nutrients N-P-K 1-1-1.5 0.5-0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5-0.5


Heifer Bedding


Economics

**Production cost per ton of compost is just less than $6.20 per ton.**

Field Application

Tractor and slinger spreader - $60/hour

Two (2) loads per hour was the production rate

10 hours to haul and spread on fields

Cost of $600.00

Compost Windrow Creation

Tractor and dump trailer - $40/hour

Three (3) loads per hour could be done because of the shorter haul

Seven (7) hours to haul and windrow

Cost of $280.00, a savings of $320.00 to the specific farm

Cost to Turn the Windrow

240 tons per windrow * $5.00/ton = $1,200.00


FARM 1 COMPOST PILE

Nitrogen (Compared to Urea 46-0-0)a. 2000 lbs. * 0.46= 920lbs Nb. $325 per Ton / 920lbs N = $0.35 cents per lb.c. $0.35 cents * 22 lbs. of total nitrogen =

$7.70 / 2000 pounds ( 1 Ton)

Phosphorus (Compared to 0-44-0, Triple Super Phosphate)a. 2000 lbs. * 0.44 = 880 lbs.b. $465 per ton / 880.00 = $0.53 per lb. c. $0.53 per lb. * 15.6 lbs. of P2O5 per ton =

$8.27 / 2000 pounds ( 1 Ton)

Potassium ( Compared to 0-0-60) a. 2000 lbs. *0.60 = 1200 lbs.b. $340/Ton / 1200 lbs. = $0.28 per lb.c. $0.28 per lb. * 29.4 lbs. K20 per ton =

$ 8.23 / 2000 pounds ( 1 Ton)

Sulfur (Compared to 90% elemental sulfur)a. 2000lbs * 0.90 = 1800lbs of sulfurb. $980/Ton divided by 1800lbs = $0.54/lb.c. $0.54 * 3.2 pounds per ton =

$1.73 / 2000 pounds ( 1 Ton)

Agronomic Valuation of Compost• Micro-Nutrients will add

$5 - $10 per ton in value.

• Based on this pilot, the value per ton of compost would fall in a range of $17 to $37 per ton.

• Farm 1 Value: $25.93 per ton.

• Farm 2 Value: $24.71 per ton

• Farm 3 Value: $12.11 per ton


DESIGN STANDARDS & REGULATIONS


Andrew R. Skwor, PE, CPESCPhone: (608) 963-5211Email: [email protected]

composting and the value-added · 2019. 11. 6. · composting and the value-added 2017 north...

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