The Importance Of Manure Management

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Manure may not be a luxurious topic, but it is currently a hot topic for the agriculture industry. Presently, there are about 20 million pigs being raised in Iowa alone, and Iowa’s lush cropland greatly benefits from the manure output. Manure provides the soil with nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; improves suitability for planting; increases water holding capacity; reduces erosion; and supplies an energy source for microbial activity (Murphy, 1996). Although the soil quality is improved, there are some concerns dealing with manure. The main issues involve air and water quality, such as odor and runoff (Hatfield et al., 1998). It is imperative that producers create a manure management plan in order to maximize manure’s potential while also making valiant efforts to minimize concerns associated with manure. The three manure handling systems include solid, slurry, and liquid forms. Solid manure is deposited by grazing animals or by a manure/bedding mixture collected from outdoor production systems. Solid manure utilization is not as common now since swine production has moved mainly to confinement systems. When applying to fields, solid manure can be spread on the surface, incorporated into the soil, or it can be composted. It is important to monitor that there is no surface water contamination
Frequent removal of manure from storage reduces emissions by 40% compared to systems that didn’t remove the manure as frequently (Chadwick et al., 2011). Frequently turning or agitating the pits is also an option to reduce emissions. Placing an air-tight cover on top of the storage system prevents the increase in temperature which stimulates methane emission by inhibiting the activity of aerobic microorganisms (Chadwick et al., 2011). Other covering options include straw, clay pebbles, and recycled plastic. These coverings prevent emissions due to methane oxidation to carbon

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