EMISSIONS FROM SWINE EMISSIONS FROM SWINE MORTALITY COMPOSTSMORTALITY COMPOSTS

Dana MilesDana Miles

Mike McLaughlinMike McLaughlin

John BrooksJohn Brooks

Ardeshir AdeliArdeshir Adeli

USDA-ARS Genetics & Precision Agriculture USDA-ARS Genetics & Precision Agriculture Research Unit, Mississippi State, MSResearch Unit, Mississippi State, MS

Why compost?Why compost?

It’s old as dirt.It’s old as dirt. For centuries, composting has been used For centuries, composting has been used

to recycle organic material back into the to recycle organic material back into the soil.soil.

Other benefits:Other benefits:

-destroys pathogens-destroys pathogens

-converts N from NH-converts N from NH33 to more to more

stable organic formsstable organic forms

-reduces volume of waste -reduces volume of waste

Swine population Swine population continues to increase continues to increase worldwideworldwide

This means more pig waste that This means more pig waste that needs to be dealt with in ways needs to be dealt with in ways that are:that are:– Environmentally sensibleEnvironmentally sensible– Economically realisticEconomically realistic– Socially acceptableSocially acceptable

Did you know?Did you know?

The daily manure output of a pig The daily manure output of a pig

is approximately is approximately 6%6% of its body of its body weight?weight?

In various types of 100-sow units, In various types of 100-sow units, the range of fresh manure the range of fresh manure produced is 600-2800 kg/d.produced is 600-2800 kg/d.

Another type of wasteAnother type of waste

U. S. swine farrowing facilities routinely U. S. swine farrowing facilities routinely compost daily mortalities using open static compost daily mortalities using open static piles. piles.

The amount of annual mortality for a 1000-sow The amount of annual mortality for a 1000-sow farrowing to finish farm was estimated at 20 farrowing to finish farm was estimated at 20 tons (Imbeah, 1998).tons (Imbeah, 1998).

For a 2000-head finishing operation, just over 2 For a 2000-head finishing operation, just over 2 tons of mortality may be expected annually tons of mortality may be expected annually (Vansickle, 2013).(Vansickle, 2013).

PurposePurpose

Improve practices to dispose of Improve practices to dispose of swine farrowing mortalities. swine farrowing mortalities.

Objective:Objective:

Compare sawdust and water Compare sawdust and water (standard)(standard)

to other mixtures where additional to other mixtures where additional C and N were supplied by:C and N were supplied by:

Broiler litterBroiler litter Swine lagoon effluentSwine lagoon effluent

Objective:Objective:

Assess potential risks and benefits of Assess potential risks and benefits of adding broiler litter and swine adding broiler litter and swine effluent to compost by comparingeffluent to compost by comparing

Nutrient levels Nutrient levels Bacterial pathogensBacterial pathogens Gaseous emissionsGaseous emissions

MethodologyMethodology

Compost TreatmentsCompost Treatments

227-L covered heavy-duty 227-L covered heavy-duty plastic recycling binsplastic recycling bins

Three replications of four Three replications of four treatments: treatments: – Sawdust/water SWSawdust/water SW– Sawdust/litter/water SLWSawdust/litter/water SLW– Sawdust/effluent SESawdust/effluent SE– Sawdust/litter/effluent SLESawdust/litter/effluent SLE

Pig

Test MixPig

ParametersParameters

Nutrients:Nutrients:– C, N, P, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Cu, ZnC, N, P, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Cu, Zn

Microorganisms:Microorganisms:– Clostridium perfringensClostridium perfringens– Escherichia coliEscherichia coli– Listeria spp.Listeria spp.– Salmonella spp.Salmonella spp.– Gram-positive and Gram-negative Gram-positive and Gram-negative

bacteriabacteria

ParametersParameters

Temperature, Moisture of Temperature, Moisture of mixturesmixtures

Emissions:Emissions:– COCO22, N, N22O, CHO, CH44 via gas via gas

chromatography (GRACEnet chromatography (GRACEnet methodology)methodology)

– NHNH33, CO, CO22, N, N22O, CHO, CH44 via photoacoustic via photoacoustic gas analyzergas analyzerMeasurement Dates:

March – July 2012

ResultsResults

SW

SLW SE SLE

Temperatures:Temperatures:Ambient & Compost Ambient & Compost MixturesMixtures

Validation Study-Daily NH3

Ambient temperature

Broiler litter inclusion increased compost temperatures.

C:N at start and endC:N at start and end

Start EndStart End SW 489SW 489 8585 SLW 21SLW 21 2121 SE 160 58SE 160 58 SLE 20 SLE 20 2020

Approximately 15 g/kg N added Approximately 15 g/kg N added with broiler litter. with broiler litter.

NutrientsNutrients

More P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn were More P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn were present initially in the broiler litter present initially in the broiler litter treatments.treatments.

Only Na appeared similar among Only Na appeared similar among the treatments. the treatments.

Recovery of BacteriaRecovery of Bacteria

Clostridium perfringens:Clostridium perfringens:– Among treatments there were significant Among treatments there were significant

differences at p=0.05, with differences at p=0.05, with greater greater levels in the two effluent treatmentslevels in the two effluent treatments when the experiment began. At turn 1 when the experiment began. At turn 1 and the end, there were no differences.and the end, there were no differences.

– Within each treatment there were no Within each treatment there were no significant differences over time , significant differences over time , measured at the start, turn 1 and end of measured at the start, turn 1 and end of the experiment.the experiment.

Recovery of BacteriaRecovery of Bacteria

Gram-negative bacteria:Gram-negative bacteria:– Among treatments there were no Among treatments there were no

significant differences at any time.significant differences at any time.– Within each treatment there were no Within each treatment there were no

significant differences except that significant differences except that the SW levels decreased over time the SW levels decreased over time (p=0.05).(p=0.05).

Recovery of BacteriaRecovery of Bacteria

Gram-positive bacteria:Gram-positive bacteria:– Among treatments there were Among treatments there were

significant differences at p=0.001, significant differences at p=0.001, with greater levels in the two broiler with greater levels in the two broiler litter treatments.litter treatments.

– Within the SE treatment, there was no Within the SE treatment, there was no significant change over time. In the significant change over time. In the other treatments, levels decreased other treatments, levels decreased significantly over time (p=0.05). significantly over time (p=0.05).

EmissionsEmissions

Each 24 h for first 4 daysEach 24 h for first 4 days Each 24 h for 4 days after turn 1Each 24 h for 4 days after turn 1 Each 24 h for 2 days after turn 2Each 24 h for 2 days after turn 2 EndEnd

Initial NHInitial NH33 flux flux

NHNH33 flux after turn 1 flux after turn 1

NHNH33 flux after turn 2 & flux after turn 2 & endend

Dates of Composting and Emission Monitoring Events

CO2 Flux g/(m2 h) CH4 Flux mg/(m2 h) N2O Flux mg/(m2 h)

0

20

40

60

80

100SW

0

20

40

60

80

100SE

0

20

40

60

80

100SLW

0

20

40

60

80

100SLE

0

5

10

15SW

0

5

10

15SE

0

5

10

15SLW

0

5

10

15SLE

0.000

0.001

0.002SW

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25SE

0.000

0.005

0.010

0.015

0.020SLW

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3SLE

SW

SLW

SE

SLE

SW

SLW

SE

SLE

SW

SLW

SE

SLE

N2O CO2 CH4

Tu

rn 1

Tu

rn 2

Tu

rn 1

Tu

rn 2

Tu

rn 1

Tu

rn 2

ConclusionsConclusions

Adding broiler litter to Adding broiler litter to sawdust (1:1/w:w) increased sawdust (1:1/w:w) increased compost temperatures after compost temperatures after aeration (mixing and turning).aeration (mixing and turning).

ConclusionsConclusions

Litter increased levels of some Litter increased levels of some nutrients and bacteria, but nutrients and bacteria, but changes and levels were not changes and levels were not consistent.consistent.

NHNH33 , N , N22O and COO and CO22 emissions were emissions were higher after early aeration; CHhigher after early aeration; CH44 emissions peaked later.emissions peaked later.

ConclusionsConclusions

Composting offers Composting offers environmentally sound environmentally sound disposition of these byproducts disposition of these byproducts and manures.and manures.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Rhonda Cornelius, Renotta Smith, Rhonda Cornelius, Renotta Smith, Cindy Smith, Mary Hardy, Tim Cindy Smith, Mary Hardy, Tim Fairbrother, and Walter WoolfolkFairbrother, and Walter Woolfolk

Farm owner Farm owner Introductory material:Introductory material:Imbeah. 1998. Composting piggery waste: A Imbeah. 1998. Composting piggery waste: A

review. Bioresource Technology 63:197-203.review. Bioresource Technology 63:197-203.Vansickle. 2013. http://nationalhogfarmer.com/resources/estimating-cost-mortality-management

.

Thank you!Thank you!