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S1000: Animal Manure and Waste Utilization, Treatment and Nuisance Avoidance for a Sustainable Agriculture (S275)

Annual/Termination Reports (SAES-422): [12/10/2002] [11/13/2003] [06/22/2004] [02/10/2005] [06/05/2006] [05/24/2007] [11/11/2007]

Date of Annual Report: 12/10/2002

Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 09/26/02 to 09/28/02
  • Period the Report Covers: 07/2001 to 06/2002

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    Meeting was called to order by Chair Powers at 8:30 am.
    Ted Funk (IL), Wendy Powers, Gerald Evers, Larry Jacobson, John Classen, Al Sutton, Tom McCasky, Tim Stanton, Ron Miner, Phil Westerman, P.Y. Yang, Wes Wood, Jim Converse, Larry Newton, Harold Keener (OH), Jack Meisinger, Roselina Angel, Saqib Muktar, Todd Applegate, Jose Bicudo, Bob von Bernuth, Joe Fontenot, Gary Cromwell, Jun Zhu, Deanne Meyer, Zinghou Wu, Mary Ann Rozum, Ron Lacewell, Phill Goodrich, K.G. Karthikeyan

    Larry Jacobson (host) provided the group with logistical information. Kevin Janni, Head of Department of Biosystems and Ag engineering, F. Abel Ponce de Leon, Head, of Department of Animal Science provided welcomes and greetings. Members and visitors were introduced.

    Advisor Lacewll and CSREES Representative Rozum gave an overview of important items for the group to note:
    7 EQIP has innovative solutions technologies competitive grants $35 to 70 million for development and research
    7 Impacts of S-1000 activities must be included in the annual report.
    7 Must submit report via the web
    7 Need to emphasize collaborative efforts among institutions (a key objective of regional research)


    Business meeting:

    Phil Westerman elected secretary

    Selection for next years location: Committee of Rosalina Angel, Todd Applegate, Larry Jacobson, and Deanne Meyer. Recommendation of Hawaii. San Antonio, Colorado. Colorado was selected. Timing needs to be considered due to the meeting in Raleigh. Ft. Collins. Have meeting shortly after September 11.

    Standardized format for reports. Important to be sure each group submits information for the secretary to use. Is there a way to link to CRIS database. Wendy will do this draft.

    Thanks to Wes Woods for establishing the website. Full reports could be put on the website. Links of interest. Linked to SARE 17 group, sites in TX,

    The list server is going away in winter. The group will use Wes Woods server.
    Meeting format: Discussion for meeting format. Performance based outcomes. Can we connect the dots between research conducted and delivered outcomes. Air and Water Quality outcomes. Limit reports to 5 to 6 minutes. Allow write up of report. Focus on implementation of results and collaboration.


    URL: Copy of minutes

    Accomplishments:
    OBJ 1, T 1. DEVELOP MANAGEMENT TOOLS, STRATEGIES AND SYSTEMS FOR LAND APPLICATION OF ANIMAL MANURES AND EFFLUENTS THAT OPTIMIZE EFFICIENT, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY UTILIZATION OF NUTRIENTS AND ARE COMPATIBLE WITH SUSTAINED LAND AND WATER QUALITY.
    T 1. Methods to reduce nutrient movement from land application sites into surface and groundwater. Work with variable rate slurry spreader technology has been done (IL) to more precisely target nutrient application and minimize nutrient movement to surface or groundwater. Amelioration of P overloaded soils via tillage and forage system selection continues (AL). Closely planted hybrid poplar trees have been used to mitigate lagoons at closure (NC, OR).

    T 2. Quantify gaseous emissions into the air from land application sites. AL, GA, AL, MD. Gas emissions from land-applied manure on pasture (AL and GA), sorghum and small grain crops (AL and MD), and no-tilled, deep-subsoil tilled and conventional tilled soybean row crops (GA) will be compared. Manure types include broiler litter, dairy slurry, swine effluent and pasture grazed cattle manure. Ammonia and particulate emissions inventories for beef were conducted (TX). Ammonia volatilization was quantified from three circular bermudagrass plots (NC, SC). Volatilization rates were quantified using a passive field scale technique.

    T 3. Reduce movement of zoonotic pathogens from land application sites.
    Control of manure pH was evaluated as a means to reduce pathogen load in manure (AL). Researchers also utilized alkaline earth and metal salts for pH and odor control. An alum (2%) and lime (2%) combination was used to reduce E. coli and S. typhimurium.

    T 4. Improve accuracy of manure land application in accordance with best management practices for nutrient planning. Combining manure with additional N will increase yield and P uptake from the soil (TX). A ryegrass-bermudagrass system removed about 30 to 50% more P than the clover-bermudagrass system the first 2 years. Poultry manure was applied to forage crop based on P needs. It was overseeded with legume to meet additional N needs. Turf grass was used to export manure N and P. Manure nutrient application rates were quantified (CA) through lagoon effluent metering in conjunction with use of an on-farm quick test to target nutrient application. Work in IA evaluated the distribution uniformity of existing manure spreaders. Work in IA related to swine hoop systems was designed to evaluate the seasonal patterns of N mineralization and the synchronization of soil N release patterns with crop growth and nutrient uptake. A prototype was developed for a variable rate technology slurry spreader (IL).

    Application of alum to liquid dairy manure converted soluble P to insoluble P (99%) when adequate rates were applied and pH was controlled (TX). However, these alum rates cost more than $388 per 100,000 gallons treated. Addition of Polyacrylamide was effective to enhance solids separation when combined with alum treatment.

    OBJ 2. DEVELOP, EVALUATE, AND REFINE PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT PROCESSES IN ENGINEERED AND NATURAL SYSTEMS FOR MANAGEMENT OF MANURES AND OTHER WASTES.

    T 1. Develop and evaluate innovative applications of engineered biological treatment processes to stabilize waste, reduce odor, and manage nutrients. Scientists in OH, TX and CO have worked to develop and evaluate effectiveness of mortality composting to provide an alternative to the escalating costs and decreasing availability of rendering. Aeration and solid liquid separation have been evaluated (MN, CA). Work continues with short retention time anaerobic digestion to reduce odor (HI).

    A group of U.S. Universities are participating in the evaluation of an ASBR (Alternating SBR) system designed to serve a single hog facility as part of a cooperative project with Taiwan. The goal is to achieve a zero discharge system in which the residual sludge is air dried.

    Researchers in IA, NC, OH, and MI have worked together to provide uniform technical and economic comparison of four new swine housing/manure collection systems currently receiving considerable attention: the scraper for fecal/urine isolation (MI), deep-bedded hoop structure (IA), the high-rise hog house (OH) and the belt system (NC). Common goals of these systems are to reduce the liquid stream and/or rapid separation of the liquids and solids to reduce ammonia volatilization, reduce odor, minimize or eliminate liquid treatment system costs and develop alternative techniques for solids utilization. The protocol developed allows analyses of nutrient balance, air quality, animal performance, and economics.


    T 2. Develop and evaluate vegetated or aquaculture- based treatment systems for treating wastewater or runoff from concentrated feeding operations or land application sites.

    Duck-weed was used to remove nutrients from dilute effluent (NC). Cryptospyridium Parvum (C. parvum) was evaluated in overland and near-surface flow under simulated rainfall conditions (IL). The vegetation acted as an effective barrier allowing for oocyst entrapment, adsorption to the plant material and infiltration of the oocysts through the soil profile. Oocysts were detected in near-surface flow for both bare-ground and vegetative conditions.

    Vegetative filters were evaluated to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff (IL). Additional work in MN evaluated the effectiveness of biofilter media types following heavy rainfalls. Evaluation of data for a long term (10 year) study has begun for constructed wetlands (AL) with poultry waste.

    T 3. Develop and evaluate physical and chemical treatments for recovering or stabilizing manure solids or manure treatment by-products for improved utilization alternatives.

    T 4. Develop and evaluate biological or thermochemical treatment of animal manures for conversion into value-added products.
    A thermochemical conversion liquefaction project was conducted on swine manure in IL to develop crude oil.

    Bench-scale facilities were developed to further study of thermochemical conversion (TCC) of manure solids into a crude oil product was conducted (IL) to improve oil yield and post process water quality. The effects of the addition of anhydrous Na2CO3 on the conversion efficiency and quality of oil and aqueous products derived from the TCC of swine manure were evaluated. Lower conversion of volatile solids to oil was achieved for tests with higher Na2CO3 concentrations.

    A co-firing technology for coal and broiler litter (BL) to generate power was evaluated (TX). Ultimate and proximate analyses were performed on excreted broiler manure (EM), cleanout litter (CL), dried and ground litter(DL), coal, and a 90:10 blend of coal and CL (C90:DL10)to determine BL fuel quality and characteristics. BL fuels were higher in N, S, and ash but lower in heating values than those for coal. The ash composition of EM and CL indicated that these fuels are likely to cause fouling and corrosion in a boiler burner due to greater concentration of ash and its higher volatile oxides composition as compared to coal. The 90:10 blend (C90:DL10) exhibited fuel quality and cost ($/GJ) similar to coal.

    Composting was carried out for manure (swine, dairy, broiler litter and caged layer) in OH. A three-cell composting system separated by large hay bales was used for composting equine and bovine carcasses (TX). Horse bedding (horse manure and wood shavings) was used as a co-composting material.

    OBJ 3. Develop methodology, technology, and management practices to reduce odors, gases, airborne microflora, particulate matter, and other airborne emissions from animal production systems.

    T 1. Develop standard methods of collection, measurement, and categorizing or reporting of airborne emissions (odors, gases, particulates, endotoxins, pathogens, and other materials) from animal production operations.
    Multi-state collaborative activities have been involved in this task. Much of the work has been accomplished under an IFAFS grant (MN, IL, IN). Continuous measurement of NH3, H2S, and CO2 has been accomplished through an instrument trailer that can be transported from site to site and provides real time data. The focus of the research is on swine systems. Other work in IA identified the compositional differences that occur in air samples collected from dairy, swine, and poultry facilities thereby necessitating the development of novel strategies of odor evaluation.


    T 2. Determine short and long term impacts of airborne emissions from animal production units.
    Site selection tools or models to assist in avoiding or minimizing selection problems have been developed by MN, ID, and IA. The OFFSET program (MN) was adopted by the state regulatory agency to assist in site selection. Work from IA characterized emissions from swine facilities in Iowa and to study of the downwind movement of these emissions. Onsite, samples were analyzed for hydrogen sulfide and ammonia concentration. Samples were also collected for analysis by gas chromatography of volatile compounds and olfactometry.

    T 3. Emission control technology development and selection for site-specific cases.

    Permeable cover installed at a swine farm in NC was evaluated(OR, NC). It was effective in odor control and nearly complete elimination of ammonia emissions.

    A wet scrubber on an exhaust fan was tested in the laboratory to optimize contact time and gaseous adsorption by the water within the scrubber (IL). Results indicated that the removal efficiency for ammonia was 29 and 26% for water pressures of 30 and 60 psi, respectively.

    A commercial negative pressure lagoon cover evaluated (IL). Gases exhausted from the fan were tested for odors and sampled chemically. Results indicated that the negative pressure cover was more effective at reducing ammonia emissions. The lagoon cover was effective in significant reduction of odor emissions.

    A filter testing apparatus was built to allow evaluation of sheet-form filter materials as odor filters for building exhaust fans. Unprocessed wool was tested in two different filter configurations, using olfactometry to determine odor removal rates. The test facility and procedure proved convenient and reliable for testing wool filter materials.

    Obj 4. Develop and evaluate feeding systems for their potential to alter the excretion of environmentally-sensitive nutrients by livestock.

    Kentucky, IN, MD, IA, MI, and DE have worked independently and collaboratively with swine and poultry. Researchers in PA worked on N reduction in dairy cattle diets. Studies to evaluate dietary effects on ammonia emissions from grower-finisher swine and evaluate fecalurine segregation, pH adjustment, and urease inhibition impact on ammonia release were cpnducted (IA).

    T 1. Develop and evaluate strategies to reduce P excretion from livestock.
    Improving phytase efficiency (IN, MD, IA) and a new phytase (NY, IN) were studied for poultry. Effect of ionic compounds on nutrient retention was evaluated (IN). Scientists have evaluated the benefit of low phytate corn, low phytate soybean meal (with and without supplemental phytase) as a means to reduce total P excreted for both poultry and swine (KY). Broiler P requirements were studied through a feed to processing group of studies conducted by MD, IA, and IN. Work in AL focused on fecal P in horse manure. In the fecal P excretion in horses fed typical diets with and without added phytase project, fecal P excretion was characterized in eight yearling geldings (Equus caballus) fed four typical diets, with and without added phytase.

    T 2. Evaluate and quantify excretion of non-nutrient pollutants from animal agriculture.

    Scientists in TN have continued to work on quantifying presence of 17b-estradiol in dairy manure and manure effluents.

    Impact Statements:
    1. Data generated in objective 4 have been used in the revision to ASAE D384.1 standard.
    2. Numerous individuals reported that tools were developed and are being disseminated to assist producers track nutrient applications and show compliance with regulations.
    3. Demonstration that manure spreading/application equipment can be calibrated and effectively apply nutrients uniformly, increases the livestock operator's confidence in use of manure nutrients for plant nutrients.
    4. Significant progress has been accomplished to standardize emission measurements and techniques. This will improve precision of estimating emissions.
    5. Numerous individuals identified educational programs with focus to improve producer understanding of manure nutrients.
    Last Modified: unknown

    Date of Annual Report: 11/13/2003

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 09/24/03 to 09/26/03
  • Period the Report Covers: 07/2002 to 06/2003

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    Minutes from S-1000 Annual Meeting
    Ft. Collins, CO Sept. 24-26, 2003

    Attendees were: Roselina Angel, Todd Applegate, Brent Auvermann, Dwaine Bundy, Gary Cromwell, Jessica Davis, Gerald Evers, Joe Fontenot, Ted Funk, Wayne Green, Richard Hegg, Robert Hubbard, Larry Jacobson, K. G. Karthikeyan, Harold Keener, Ron Lacewell, Deanne Meyer, Ron Miner, Larry Newton, Matt Poach, Wendy Powers, Tim Stanton, Steven Trabue, Robert von Bermuth, Phil Westerman, P. Y. Yang, Ruihong Zhang, Jun Zhu, and visitors (Roger Dean and John Larson of US EPA, Denver; Janice Ward of USGS, Denver).

    The meeting was called to order by Chair, Larry Jacobson, at 8:00 am 9/24. Self introduction of all attendees followed. Welcome was given by Bill Wailes, Interim Dept. Head of Animal Science at Colorado St. University. He said that he appreciates the good science that this group provides, and that we will continue to need to respond to challenges to provide science for important environmental issues. Comments were then given by S-1000 Administrative Advisor Ron Lacewell regarding our continued need to address critical issues such as air quality and ammonia emissions, and to emphasize our accomplishments each year. CSREES Representative Richard Hegg then discussed national funding programs and priorities, the need to have national coordination of animal waste management programs and a draft proposal of how this might occur, and that EPA is trying to identify research needs related to CAFO rules. Marc Johnson, Vice Provost of Agriculture and Outreach, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Colorado St. University then discussed how we are dealing with an important set of issues that have increasing new challenges affected by animal welfare, environmental management, pathogen concerns, and economic issues of externalities. Deanne Meyer then proposed a general format for next year‘s meeting for the group to be thinking about. She proposed holding the meeting in Washington, D. C. and inviting representatives from various agencies to have information exchange. The remainder of the day included station reports and two invited presentations from Colorado St. University faculty: (1) Antibiotics in manure and lagoons by Ken Carlson, and (2) Evaluation of an electronic nose for characterizing agricultural odor by Steve Reynolds.

    The second day, 9/25, included the business meeting, station reports, a presentation on "Permitting Challenges with CAFO‘s" by Tom Haren of AgPro, LLC, and a tour of ARDEC facilities.

    Minutes of Business Meeting:
    Chair Larry Jacobson called the business meeting to order at 8:00 am. Phil Westerman, Secretary, discussed the two web sites for S-1000 (the NIMSS system web site located at http://www.lgu.umd.edu and the S-1000 site http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/s1000/ housed at Auburn University and managed by Wes Wood), and the importance of sending electronic reports to Westerman soon emphasizing accomplishments, impacts, and publications since the last report. The S-1000 annual progress report is due within 60 days of the annual meeting.

    Election of Secretary: The nomination committee of Powers, Meyer, and Funk nominated Brent Auvermann, who was elected. The new officers are: Chair - Deanne Meyer, Vice-Chair - Phil Westerman, and Secretary - Brent Auvermann.

    2004 Meeting: After some discussion about the 2004 meeting, Brent Auvermann moved that the chair establish a sub-committee to plan the 2004 meeting for Washington, D. C. The motion was seconded and passed. The planning committee consists of Co-chairs Larry Jacobson and Deanne Meyer, and members Brent Auvermann, Wendy Powers, Harold Keener, Gerald Evers, and Phil Westerman (added 9/29/03).

    Gratitude was extended to the hosts of our meeting, Tim Stanton and Jessica Davis.

    Tour: On 9/26, our hosts provided tour to view an anaerobic digestion system at one dairy, and solids separator and overall waste management system at another dairy.

    Accomplishments:
    OBJ 1. Develop management tools, strategies and systems for land application of animal manures and effluents that optimize efficient, environmentally friendly utilization of nutrients and are compatible with sustained land and water quality.

    T 1. Methods to reduce nutrient movement from land application sites into surface and groundwater. Alternative management systems being evaluated for pastures to best utilize nutrients: relative efficiency of recycling nutrients in broiler litter by feeding to steers or application to pasture (VA); combining animal waste with additional commercial nitrogen fertilizer to increase forage yield and phosphorus (P) uptake and reduce residual P in pastures (TX); and various grazing management (IA). Various crop rotations being evaluated to better utilize nutrients from cattle feedlot runoff applied to plots (TX). Geotextile-gravel and fly ash pads evaluated for heavy livestock areas to reduce environmental impacts (KY).

    T 2. Quantify gaseous emissions into the air from land application sites.

    T 3. Reduce movement of zoonotic pathogens from land application sites. Determining effects of soil tillage and rainfall variables on leaching of pathogenic bacteria after land application of dairy manure (OH). Showed farmer can mitigate potential leaching of pathogenic bacteria by timing manure applications to occur at least 48 hours before rainfall.

    T 4. Improve accuracy of manure land application in accordance with best management practices for nutrient planning. An IL Certified Livestock Manager Survey of 347 participants showed rates of adoption of practices and technologies related to environmental protection and nuisance avoidance. Development of rapid on-farm assessment of nutrient content of dairy manures has goal to improve nutrient application (KY).

    OBJ 2. Develop, evaluate, and refine physical, chemical and biological treatment processes in engineered and natural systems for management of manures and other wastes.

    T 1. Develop and evaluate innovative applications of engineered biological treatment processes to stabilize waste, reduce odor, and manage nutrients. Several states evaluated treatment processes for dairy manure or wastewater: solid liquid separation and impact of low rate aeration on lagoons‘ solids degradation and odor reduction (CA); solids removal, anaerobic digestion and hydroponic filtration (GA); effect of algae and bacteria additions in the conversion of an anaerobic dairy lagoon to an aerobic lagoon (CO); eight different systems developed for treating milkhouse waste for medium sized dairies (MN); a novel anaerobic bio-nest reactor for treatment of milk parlor wastewater (HI). Several states (MN, NC, OR) evaluated treatment processes for swine manure or wastewater: pilot-scale surface aeration system with intermittent aeration was effective in reducing odor (MN); effect of manure solids on aeration efficiency (MN); solids separation and upflow biofiltration system for 4000 pigs (NC); aeration pond treatment system for lagoon liquid (NC); 80 % P removal by struvite crystallizer (NC); single vessel alternating aerobic-anaerobic treatment in Taiwan under a cooperative agreement with U.S. team (OR). Composting work (OH) showed composting dairy manure/amendment mix with C/N > 40 reduces N losses; use of intermittent aeration effective in maintaining aerobic composting while minimizing cost; an Excel computer simulation model of composting process enables farmers to optimize design and management and minimize costs.

    T 2. Develop and evaluate vegetated or aquaculture- based treatment systems for treating wastewater or runoff from concentrated feeding operations or land application sites.
    Two cell constructed wetlands treating poultry lagoon effluent has operated for 10 yrs (AL). Overland flow vegetated buffers evaluated for N and P utilization from swine lagoon liquid, and grass buffer strips used to remove nutrients from surface runoff from cotton receiving poultry litter (GA). Vegetation used to remove nutrients from swine lagoon liquid by floating mats of vegetation (GA) and by duckweed (NC). Application of high rate algal pond water treatment technology that could reduce the level of N and P that flows into the Salton Sea through its tributaries and causes eutrophication was demonstrated at pilot scale (SC).

    T 3. Develop and evaluate physical and chemical treatments for recovering or stabilizing manure solids or manure treatment by-products for improved utilization alternatives. Various states evaluated solids separation for by-product recovery; a belt-based housing system for swine collected dry fecal material (50 % DM) and reduced ammonia emission (NC); a V-shaped floor beneath concrete slats with a slotted PVC pipe for urine collection isolated 90 % of P in the solids (MI); two solids/liquid separation systems evaluated on farms for flushed swine manure, with the solids at 30 % DM trucked with turkey litter to Idaho for combustion tests, and the ash recovered for testing in a fertilizer blend (NC); effective solids separation achieved during lagoon sludge removal process with a pumping and filtration system (AL). Chemically adjusting pH of liquid manure above 10 allowed 60 % removal of ammonia in a simple spray column, with possibility to absorb the ammonia into an acid solution, and raising pH of dairy wastewater precipitated P to achieve nutrient management constraints (OR). An in-bin, low maintenance large-carcass and horse bedding composting operation successfully disposed of cow and horse mortalities (TX). Dairy manures with various chemical treatments for P removal were incubated with soil to determine P and N dynamics and fate (WI).

    T 4. Develop and evaluate biological or thermochemical treatment of animal manures for conversion into value-added products. Batch processing thermochemical conversion process which produces a crude oil product from manure solids was upgraded to a mixed-reactor continuous process on a laboratory scale (IL). Feedlot manure co-fired with coal in a 10:90 blend converted less N to NOx compared to coal; could save up to $9 million/yr for a 2,000 MW coal-fired power plant (TX). Black solider fly (BSF) larvae digested swine manure, reducing manure total solids by 50 % and nutrients by 70 % (GA). Dried larvae (45 % protein and 33 % fat) could replace 75 % of the fish meal in channel catfish diets.

    OBJ 3. Develop methodology, technology, and management practices to reduce odors, gases, airborne microflora, particulate matter, and other airborne emissions from animal production systems.

    T 1. Develop standard methods of collection, measurement, and categorizing or reporting of airborne emissions (odors, gases, particulates, endotoxins, pathogens, and other materials) from animal production operations. A six-state project (MN, IN, IL, TX, IA, NC) has goal to determine emission rates for six common animal confinement buildings from different sections of the US. Sites have 2 to 10 months of data, and are using common protocols for air sampling and instrument trailers for monitoring two side by side buildings at each site. In another 3-state cooperative project (PA, KY, IA), baseline data on aerial ammonia emissions being collected from an assortment of livestock and poultry facilities operated under variety of management styles. In IA, two automated downwind sampling systems were developed for capturing static field samples for evaluation in the lab. In MN, emissions are being compared for a deep bedded hoop barn and a curtain sided slatted barn.

    T 2. Determine short and long term impacts of airborne emissions from animal production units. Models for air dispersion of airborne pollutants being developed: continued evaluation of OFFSET model which is used to assist in development of setback distances for new or expanding livestock and poultry facilities (MN); developing model to predict influence of odor dispersion from multiple sources to multiple receptors (IA); cooperative project (MN, NE, IA) to develop air dispersion models to predict downwind concentrations of odor and hydrogen sulfide. On-site monitoring and air samples at multiple locations resulted in prediction equations to estimate downwind concentrations of individual volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide and odor (IA).

    T 3. Emission control technology development and selection for site-specific cases. IL has tested several control technologies: Concentric Dedusters in swine building ventilation systems captured up to 90 % of particulate matter and removed up to 35 % of ammonia; activated carbon filters slightly reduced odor but would be expensive because of increased fan operation costs; increased frequency of flushing for swine confinement room or for farrowing room had minor effects on emissions. IA evaluated management strategies to reduce ammonia emissions: keeping urine and feces separate, application of urease inhibitors, post-excretion acidification of manure; permeable cover over lagoon in MO reduced odor emission to 40 % of that from uncovered lagoon. Geotextile covers on manure storages reduced emissions (KY, MN). Biofilter with recycled polyethylene foam chips and zeolite reduced ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions 25 to 60 % (OR). Ozone injected into ventilation air decreased ammonia linearly with ozone concentration (MI). In OH: caged layer belt/composting system reduced ammonia emissions 50 % compared to conventional deep pit system; aeration during composting resulted in destruction of odorous compounds 95 to 100 % by day 8; ammonia loss during composting of dairy and hog manure/sawdust was highly correlated with total airflow.

    Obj 4. Develop and evaluate feeding systems for their potential to alter the excretion of environmentally-sensitive nutrients by livestock.

    T 1. Develop and evaluate strategies to reduce P excretion from livestock. Several studies on modifying diet to reduce P excretion have been conducted for poultry (IN, MD, KY), for swine (IN, KY) and beef (TX). Studies in IN determined effects of: copper source on P retention in broiler chicks; dietary calcium on phytate utilization in Peking ducklings; wheat bran phytase on turkey tom P excretion; supplementing weanling pig diets with organic and inorganic acids on microbial shedding; reduced crude protein and reduced P diet on grow-finish pig performance. Pigs and chicks fed low phytate corn and low phytate soybean meal excreted up to 50 % less P, and with further addition of phytase excreted up to 70 % less P (KY, IN). MD showed that correct use of phytase decreases total and water soluble P and that changes in P solubility post-excretion are mediated by bacterial activity for broiler chickens, turkey poults and growing swine. Strategies in beef feedlot diet management can reduce P excretion (TX). Effects of forage maturity on P digestion in beef cows using a rotational grazing stocking system with and without supplemental hay removal is being studied (IA). Phosphorus accretion in pigs slaughtered at 8 weights ranging from 20 to 120 kg body weight will help determine mathematical models for estimating P and Ca requirements (KY).

    T 2. Evaluate and quantify excretion of non-nutrient pollutants from animal agriculture. Various diet and management strategies have goals to reduce ammonia emission and odor: grow-finish swine and using synthetic amino acids (IA); reduction of dietary crude protein decreased ammonia emissions but did not diminish manure odor offensiveness and fecal VFA concentrations in growing pigs (MN); protein feeding strategies in beef cattle (dietary undegradable protein to degradable protein ratio) to reduce ammonia losses (IA).

    Impact Statements:
    1. Scientific information on improving nutrient utilization in land application is being disseminated to assist producers manage nutrients, improve productivity, and reduce environmental impacts.
    2. Technical and economic information on alternative manure and wastewater treatment technologies and by-product recovery and utilization is being disseminated to assist producers and other agencies with identifying better technologies for reducing environmental impacts.
    3. Significant progress has been accomplished to standardize emission measurements and techniques. The most complete information on barn emissions in North American is being developed by multistate projects.
    4. Scientific information on diet management to reduce nutrient excretion and environmental impacts to air and water are being incorporated into management decisions by producers.
    5. Data generated in objective 4 have been used in the revision to ASAE D384.1 standard on excreted manure characteristics.
    Last Modified: unknown

    Date of Annual Report: 06/22/2004

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 04/20/04 to 04/22/04
  • Period the Report Covers: 09/2003 to 08/2004

    • Participants:

    URL: Copy of participant list
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    The attached file contains (a) the minutes of the 2004 meeting, (b) the agenda and attendees list for the 2004 meeting, (c) a restatement of the project objectives, justification and goals and (d) a draft compendium of every 2003-04 state report submitted to date. Item (d) is subject to further editing and is a massive document in its own right. The Secretary (Auvermann) is editing (d) at this time and distilling it into an Executive Summary. Both impacts and deliverables against the project milestones have been indicated in many of the individual state reports. Those items will be prioritized and inserted into the other placeholders on this web site.

    Brent


    URL: Copy of minutes

    Accomplishments:

    Impact Statements:
    Last Modified: unknown

    Date of Annual Report: 02/10/2005

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 01/05/05 to 01/07/05
  • Period the Report Covers: 10/2004 to 09/2005

    • Participants:

    URL: Copy of participant list
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    S-1000 Business Meeting 5 Jan 2005

    A. Meeting was called to order by Dr. Phil Westerman at 0830h CDT.

    B. Members present (24) were sufficient to constitute a quorum for conducting business. A complete list of members attending the Business Meeting is incorporated into these minutes, by reference, in Appendix B.

    C. John Classen (NC State Univ.) was nominated for S-1000 secretary-elect. Classen accepted the nomination, which was approved by unanimous consent.

    D. W. Powers reported on the progress of the project re-write committee (Powers, Classen, Auvermann, Applegate, and Meyer). An outline of what was proposed was circulated. Input was requested to be forwarded to the committee by Feb. 15. A draft will be circulated in time for full discussion at the next S-1000 meeting. The current project is scheduled to end Sept. 2006. R. Lacewell noted that a 1 year extension can be requested, but for full review, a final draft should be submitted by late 2005.

    E. Motion was made and seconded to have the executive committee (Auvermann, Applegate, and Classen) handle the scheduling and format of the next meeting. Motion carried.

    F. Committee expressed appreciation to Auvermann, Sweeten, and Lacewell for handling local arrangements and to Humenik, Mukhtar, and Nowak for program development for the Jan 2005 meeting.

    G. Meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 1000h CDT.


    URL: Copy of minutes

    Accomplishments:
    Accomplishments are listed under Summary of Progress section of attached minutes.

    Impact Statements:
    1. Utilization of poultry litter by feeding cattle on pasture avoids applying excessive amounts to the soil.
    2. Ammonia emissions from a shallow injection of urea-ammonium-nitrate fertilizer amounts to 2% of the total N applied. A corn canopy can be either a source, or a sink for atmospheric ammonia depending on the amount of absorbed ammonia.
    3. Milk parlor wastewater can be treated and reused properly via integrating an innovative bioreactor with the existing anaerobic lagoon wastewater treatment system.
    4. Trickling nitrification biofilters achieved a 90% nitrification efficiency from a 4000 sow operations effluent. When put in-line with greenhouse tomato production, yields were 1010 lb/day.
    5. Nutrient recovery from swine wastewater by growing duckweed demonstrated duckweed growth of 29 g/m2/day.
    6. Anaerobic treatment of dairy manure at a low inoculum to substrate ratio can provide added benefits in terms of reducing off-site migration of P after land application and when low runoff volumes are generated.
    7. Anaerobic digestion did not significantly alter the nature of predominant inorganic P solid phases in dairy manure.
    8. Fixed-film anaerobic digestion provides reduced residence times for flushed dairy manure wastewater. Harnessing solar energy to grow algal biomass or aquatic macrophytes on the digested effluent allows for recovery of nutrients.
    9. The pollutional parameters (COD, nitrogen, phosphorus and solids) stratified within the sludge layers in aged lagoons become concentrated greater in the lower sludge depths.
    10. The environmental benefits of methane digester technology include: 1) reduced odors and emissions, 2) the nutrient properties of the digested manure are enhanced, and 3) reduced reliance on fossil fuels as an energy source.
    11. Intermittent aeration (IA) provides an alternative for N removal from anaerobically pretreated animal wastewaters. Findings of dominant microorganisms and optimal conditions in the IA process allow for fundamental understanding of the process.
    12. Thermochemical conversion of swine manure solids to a crude oil product was brought closer to commercial reality. All that stands between the laboratory scale and farm implementation are materials-handling issues.
    13. Reduced cost of composting animal manures can occur through documenting kinetics of the process. Low airflow, regardless of composting system configuration, is the main factor to minimize energy usage.
    14. Farmers can reduce the volume and weights of material to be hauled by 50 to 80 % based on equivalent nitrogen values of the stabilized compost as compared to unamended, uncomposted dairy manure removed from the barn.
    15. Composting dairy manure/amendment mix with C/N above 40 reduces nitrogen losses significantly.
    16. Using black soldier flies to digest manure and also produces a valuable animal feed and can reduce swine manure odor shows additional benefits.
    17. Air emission data from conventional housing (slatted floor) and alternative housing (deep-bedded) farrowing facilities has provided swine producers with information for decision-making purposes on the type of facilities to build.
    18. Ammonia emissions from open lot and hybrid (freestall and openlot) dairies provide vital information on relative magnitude of ammonia emissions from various sources on a dairy during warm and cold temperatures.
    19. The Odor From Feedlots-Setback Estimation Tool is a useful tool for government agencies determining setback distances for new or expanding livestock and poultry facilities.
    20. Reducing diet crude protein and including NH3-binding agents in diets for grow/finish pigs can be effective in reducing N content of excretions and NH3 emissions.
    21. Temperature control, urine-feces segregation, and acidification of swine manure are strategies with the potential to reduce or slow NH4+-N and NH3 volatilization.
    22. Early results of a particulate impaction curtain for reduction of dust emission from poultry layer houses (5 months) gave dust removal efficiency of 33% to 49%.
    23. Composted dairy manure requires less odor management than aged manure, as aeration during composting results in destruction of odorous compounds (95-100%).
    24. The development of mathematical models now allows for more accurate estimates of P needs and P excretion of growing-finishing pigs.
    25. Feeding pigs a low nutrient excretion diet with reduced crude protein and phosphorus, supplemental synthetic amino acids, low phytate corn and phytase sustained productive pig growth and carcass characteristics, while reducing nutrient excretion and ammonia emissions.
    26. The second generation of phytase products derived from E. coli are twice as efficacious as current commercial products for ducks.
    27. Cattle bedding treated with oxides of alkaline earth metals demonstrated 5-6 log reductions of E.coli and other enteric bacteria.
    28. A 17% protein diet was sufficient for cows producing 38 kg/d of milk, thereby reducing N excretion without affecting milk production.
    Last Modified: unknown

    Date of Annual Report: 06/05/2006

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 02/28/06 to 03/02/06
  • Period the Report Covers: 01/2005 to 03/2006

    • Participants:

    URL: Copy of participant list
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    Annual Meeting Agenda George Washington Carver Center, Beltsville, MD March 1-3, 2006 March 1 8:15 Welcome, Dr. Ghassem Asrar, deputy administrator, ARS 8:30 Proposed project renewal, Rewrite team 9:00 - 9:45 An Economists View of Ecological Footprinting and Other Indexes of Long-Term Sustainability, Dr. Kelly Zering 9:45 - 10:15 Break 10:15 - 12:00 Open discussion of new project 12:00 - 1:30 Lunch, Carver Center Cafeteria 1:30 - 3:15 Panel discussion of project approach: Bob Wright (ARS), Richard Swenson (NRCS), Noel Gollehon (ERS), Ron Landy (EPA) 3:15 - 3:30 Break 3:30 - 5:00 Continue panel discussion 6:00 Dinner at Sir Walter Raleigh Inn, Greenbelt Rd. March 2 8:00 - 9:45 Review and analysis of system assessment using emergy, Cavalett et al., 2006 9:45 - 10:15 Break 10:15 - 12:00 Finalize project deliverables, breakout groups by interest 12:00 - 1:30 Lunch, Carver Center Cafeteria 1:30 - 3:15 Continue group discussions of project deliverables 3:15 - 3:30 Break 3:30 - 5:00 Group reports and discussion 6:00 - Dinner, groups or individuals March 3 8:00 - 9:30 Business meeting - deadline for each participant to submit their paragraph of contributions to each objective/task of the new project or submit at this time if written the night before - election of Secretary 9:30 Adjourn

    Meeting Summary

    A. Meeting was called to order by Brent Auvermann at 0815h EST on March 1, 2006. B. Members present (24) were sufficient to constitute a quorum for conducting business. A complete list of members and guests attending the Business Meeting is incorporated into these minutes, by reference, in Appendix B. C. The first day of the meeting consisted of presentation of the project renewal proposal, a supporting presentation by Kelly Zering of the issues involved in using economics to quantify environmental impacts, especially when resources are obtained from distant locations, and an open discussion of the project proposal. D. Short presentations by ARS, ERS, NRCS, and EPA added to the discussion of the need to address environmental issues related to the food animal industries. E. During the second day of the meeting, members discussed their activities and described how they would contribute to the new project F. Ted Funk (University of Illinois) was nominated for S-1000 secretary-elect. Funk accepted the nomination, which was approved by unanimous consent. G. Meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 1500h EST, March 2, 2006.


    URL: Copy of minutes

    Accomplishments:
    See the uploaded full report for details by objective and by participant

    " Reduced cost of building control structures for treating runoff from composting/storage sites. Runoff studies provided data on expected nutrient loading rates in effluent from an outside composting site (loss factors for %NH3-N, P and K from composts) Information can be applied to the design of control structures for treating runoff from compost pads. " Develop guidance documents for farmers so they can apply liquid manures to land without polluting bodies of water. Extension and research efforts will lead to development of guidance document on management practices that can mitigate preferential flow. " Reduced cost of manure management, transporting nutrients offsite. Studies on dry matter and water loss during composting allow economic analysis to be made on process cost and cost of transporting nutrients offsite. " Reduced cost of composting animal manures. Studies have documented effects of controllable factors on kinetics of process, enabling engineers to reduce facility and operating cost of compost systems. Showed low airflow, regardless of composting system configuration, was main factor to minimize energy usage, yet achieve a specific rate of decomposition. Developed Excel computer simulation models of composting process enable farmers to optimize design and management of facilities, to minimize cost of treatment and enable better management of composting process. " Reduced odor generation during composting of animal manure. Odor studies have documented collecting and composting fresh manure has potential to reduce odor at composting site. Aeration during composting resulted in destruction of odorous compounds (95-100%) by day eight. Biofilters are only needed for short period of times. Composting dairy manure/amendment mix with C/N above 40 reduces N losses significantly. " Promote thermophilic composting as a treatment method to control pathogens in manure. Studies documented effects of 55 oC on pathogen in animal manures. " Added value to horse manure compost. Identified and showed through plant growth studies potential markets and value of composted manure and improve opportunities for coordinated growth of Ohios dairy, swine, nursery and other green industries. " Enable comprehensive air quality studies and monitoring on Ohio Farms. The developed measurement technology for ventilation and air quality monitoring will enable generation of massive amount and highly distributed data for comprehensive air quality studies and monitoring. " Resolve air quality issues based on scientific findings. Generated baseline information on air quality at Ohio animal facilities, which will help resolve the rising air quality issue based on scientific finding. The data will also regulatory agency to form proper regulation on air quality and air emission from animal feeding operations. " Enable farmers to protect health of themselves and their animals. The exposure levels of Ohio farmer, neighbors, and livestock and poultry animals to air emissions from livestock and poultry operations were preliminary evaluated. Farms can effectively manage their facility according to the air quality knowledge to protect health of themselves and their animals. " Abate air emissions from livestock facilities. Mitigation technologies and management practices evaluated and developed will help livestock industry to abate air emission and sustain environmental stewardship effectively while maintaining profitability and sustainability of the productions. " Reduce monitoring cost and increase accuracy of assessing ammonia emissions. Modified mass balance approach for evaluating NH3 emissions is lower cost than current methods of assessing NH3 emissions based on concentrations and gas flow rates. " Information from this research will provide producers, technical assistance providers, regulators, and compilers of emission inventories at county, state, and federal levels with accurate information that is consistent with rigorous environmental protection requirements and rural socioeconomic needs. Once emission rates are known for the parameters mentioned, producers will be able to determine if they are in compliance with state or federal regulations and if not what mitigation technologies are needed to meet the governing air quality standards. " Producing energy from renewable resources is becoming critical more than ever to the economy of the United States. The outcome of this project provides valuable insight on use of one of the most abundant bioresources for energy production, which is of great significance in reducing our reliance on fossil fuel based energy sources.

    Impact Statements:
    1. "Utilization of poultry litter by feeding cattle on pasture would avoid applying excessive amounts to the soil.
    2. " Milk parlor wastewater can be treated and reused properly via this pilot project of potential integrating the innovative bioreactors with the existing anaerobic lagoon wastewater treatment system. This will allow the U.S dairy farm to be able to achieve the goal of developing the friendly agricultural production and environmental protection system.
    3. " Improving the dietary P utilization by non-ruminant animals (swine and chickens), reduces the excretion of P in their manure, which has important environmental implications. The development of mathematical models now allows for more accurate estimates of P needs and P excretion of growing-finishing pigs.
    4. " Mastitis is estimated to cost to the US dairy industry about $1 billion annually. Infectious mastitis can be contracted from several sources including the cows environment such as wet, muddy, and manure-soiled paddocks and stalls where the cow lies down. The economic benefit of lime treating dairy cow stalls was estimated to improve milk production by $46.53/cow/yr.
    5. " The research program at Tifton is designed to develop technologies for utilization of animal wastes and municipal sludge such that nutrients are captured and used to produce biomass while environmental quality is protected.
    6. " The first five alternative treatment system permits for CAFOs in the nation have been issued based on the ISU model results for feedlots in Iowa.
    7. " US EPA is using these weekly and event based samples to develop standard methods for analyzing pathogens in animal agriculture treatment systems.
    8. " Ozone application to a swine building at 0.1 ppm does not affect dust mass, odor, sulfur compound concentrations, or bacteria counts.
    9. " Careful application of the indirect method for determination of building ventilation rate could greatly improve the affordability and versatility of endeavors toward quantifying air emissions from confined animal housing.
    10. " Diet acidification, sequestration, and source reduction are combined feeding technologies that can reduce NH3 emissions by nearly 40%.
    11. " Ammonia in swine finishing buildings can be reduced by 40 percent with sprinkling of soybean oil.
    12. " Hens fed increasing NPP concentrations from 0.16 to 0.40 % excreted 32 to 54 percent more P over the first cycle of egg production.
    13. " Mass of phosphorus excreted at can be nearly 40 % less for male turkeys fed closer to requirements and supplemental phytase than what industry typically feeds.
    14. "Dietary phosphorus (non-phytate phosphorus) concentration can be reduced from 0.4% to 0.16% when phytase is supplemented for laying hens.
    15. " The feeding of low-nutrient excretion diets reduced N excretion by an average of 18% and P excretion by 56% when compared to standard corn-soybean meal based diets.
    16. " Feeding low nutrient excretion-based diets reduced grower performance but maintained finisher performance and carcass characteristics compared to a standard corn-SBM diet.
    17. " In a commercial setting, feeding a low-nutrient excretion diet reduced grower performance but maintained finisher and overall performance, with no differences in carcass characteristics compared to a standard corn-SBM diet.
    18. " When pigs were fed a low nutrient excretion based diet, no substantive differences in individual mineral accretion rates.
    Last Modified: unknown

    Date of Annual Report: 05/24/2007

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 05/01/07 to 05/03/07
  • Period the Report Covers: 10/2005 to 09/2006

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    S-1000 Annual Meeting Meeting Minutes Faro Inn Aguadilla, PR 5/1/07

    Secretary: Ted Funk Extension Specialist, Agricultural Engineering, Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign email funkt@uiuc.edu

    Attendees: see list in Appendix 1

    9:00 a.m. Called to order by Chair Todd Applegate Thanks to Carmen Gonzalez-Toro for her efforts in organizing the meeting place and all local arrangements.

    Introductions

    Ron Lacewell, Administrative Advisor, Texas A&M University  update on staus of project renewal. Six years are up, including the one-year extension, on September 30, 2007. The Chair of the project writing committee, John Classen, submitted his last edits last week; the project is ready for review (final). A committee of regional peer reviewers is needed. (The committee made suggestions and committed to contact those potential reviewers.)

    The review goes to the MRC chair, etc. Peer review needs to be done by July 15th. The writing committee responds to suggestions & concerns, with a deadline of 9/30/07.

    Presentations: see notes in Appendix 2 " 9:13 Michael Overcash Life Cycle Assessment of the Swine Industry --Principles and Research (MS PowerPoint presentation uploaded to S-1000 web site)

    10:00 Welcome to Aguadilla by: " Mr. Noland Sanchez, Aguadilla Municipal Government Representative " Dr. John Fernandez Van Cleve, Dean, College of Agriculture Science, UPRM.

    Presentations: " 10:20 Carl Soderberg, Director, Division Environmental Protection Caribbean, USEPA Puerto Rico  Ecological Footprint of Puerto Rico

    " 1:00 Mark T. Brown, University of Florida -- Embedded Energy as a Sustainability Measure for AFO Systems: Theory and Methods

    Brown presentation(s) available at www.emergysystems.org

    2;30 Travel to UPR  Mayaguez Campus

    3:45 p.m. at University -- General Discussion with questions directed to todays invited speakers

    5:00 p.m. adjourn for dinner and poster session on campus

    May 2, 2007

    8:48 a.m. Meeting called to order

    Auvermann: request for committee sign-up to discuss project formatting and modeling (see May 1 afternoon discussion). Passed around sign-up sheet.

    " Volunteers: Keener, Applegate, Mukhtar, Auvermann, Powers, Meyer, Classen, Funk, Carmen Gonzalez-Toro

    Chair Todd Applegate requested a moment of silence in memory of deceased S-1000 member Frank Humenik, NCSU

    Ron Lacewell  further discussion of new project proposal: he needs to submit the final draft, due from John Classen. Writing team  get back to Lacewell. Wants to turn in final draft by end of next week (May 11).

    Presentations: " Carmen Gonzalez-Toro, Environmental Education Specialist, UPRM: Overview of Puerto Rico Ag and Environmental issues.

    " 9:18 a.m. Gustavo Martinez, Soil Chemist, UPR Animal Manure Management Research in PR

    ANNOUNCEMENTS: Please fill out evaluation form for Carmen.

    Presentation: " 10:45 a.m. Rafael Davila, UPR Agricultural Waste Management in PR

    1:00 p.m. meeting of ad hoc modeling group, to set up Kansas City meeting Aug 14-15.

    Presentations:

    " 1:30 p.m. Brent Auvermann, Texas A & M: Impact of Water Use on Ecological Footprint of Cattle Feedlot

    " 1:20 p.m. John Classen, NCSU. Impacts of Federal Energy Policy and Alternatives

    May 3, 2007

    8:50 a.m. Reconvene

    Presentations:

    " Richard Hegg, CSREES, Washington Update

    " 9:15 Richard Koelsch, University of Nebraska; Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center

    " 9:48 a.m. Mark Rice, NCSU. Environmental Impacts of Small Livestock and Poultry Operations?

    " 10:12 a.m. Sarah Liehr, APWMC, NCSU. Response to Livestocks Long Shadow.

    " 10:46 a.m. Annette McCarthy, FDA. Program Overview.

    10:14 a.m. Auvermann  will send URL for example paper on life cycle discussion of corn/ethanol (Patzek, 2007, Natural Resources Research).

    10:18 a.m. Applegate convenes business meeting.

    Meyer  moves that secretary draft letter to Dean of College thanking Carmen for hosting committee meeting and for the location. (Note: completed 5/17/07.)

    Election of secretary pending approval of project. Saquib Muktar, Texas A&M, was elected secretary for 2007-2008.

    Site selection for 2008 meeting.

    Discussion: " meeting objectives, " how location affects objectives, timing; Wed-Thurs-Friday noon " Registration fees appropriate? " Important to keep in perspective the systems analysis v. individual research on technologies. Dont risk losing diversity of the group because of concentration on systems analysis. " Summary presentations by objective and tasks to visiting policymakers at the meeting; poster sessions, other methods for less formal group interactions. " (historical) subgroup discussion meetings with summaries from the subgroups. The negative side of subgroup discussions is that participants cant be everywhere they would like to be. " When to bring in policymakers? Regularly invite agencies, other stakeholders? Probably not ready to make presentations on Objective 1 by next year, but it would be good to have them present to listen to committee progress. " Locations suggested -- Nebraska City / Omaha; Hawaii; California; Auburn?

    A motion was made to leave to exec committee for deciding location & timing. Motion passed.

    Discussion related to S-1000 outreach team leadership in LPE Learning Center initiative. " Rotating responsibility v. longer-term for continuity. " S-1000 outputs benefit from exposure through LPE. " Interaction at meeting with the state and federal partners is good within the annual S-1000 meeting. " Plan for eXtension content? FAQ section, need for experts for ask the expert content. Responses are tracked, etc. for benefit of contributors in impact statements.

    Auvermann moved to authorize immediate past chair and incoming chair to determine how to, and whom, to work with LPE group. Seconded, discussed and passed.

    Thanks extended to Todd Applegate for executing chairs duties for the year.

    Adjourned at 11:51 a.m. May 3, 2007.

    *********************************************************************** Submitted by Ted Funk, 2007 Secretary.

    Accomplishments:
    New management practices for land application of manure were identified and lower-cost nutrient movement prediction tools were developed.

    Project members investigated new technologies and refined some traditional methods of manure treatment, in order to assist system designers with specifying the tools needed. A comprehensive universal methane productivity equation was developed that will make it easier to design methane production systems for swine, beef, poultry, and dairy farms, in both mesophilic and thermophilic digestion systems. Performance of dairy wastewater lagoon aerators were compared and quantified. An improved multi-stage dairy wastewater digester design was developed.

    Lower-cost systems and management practices were developed for controlling water runoff from small livestock facilities with outside feedlots. Economic and technical studies of single and multiple farm-scale methane digester implementations were completed. A simplified method for removing ammonia from wastewater prior to discharge was developed. A variety of manure composting management practices was tested to refine the management recommendations for a wide range of compost recipes. A newly isolated treatment bacterium for removing ammonia from livestock wastewater was studied. Project members tested two technologies for removing manure nutrients from dairy lagoon wastewater  electrocoagulation and Geotubes.

    Project members developed and evaluated vegetated or aquaculture-based treatment systems for treating wastewater and/or runoff, including long-term constructed wetlands treatment, overland flow vegetated buffers, and floating vegetated mats.

    Several new technologies were brought to the point where they can be considered in economic system analyses, including the culture of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, on feces recovered from a swine barn enables using the larvae to stabilize swine manure while producing a value-added product; a continuous thermochemical conversion process for making crude oil product from animal wastes and other agricultural by-products; and characterization and inventory of total cattle biomass (manure and waste feed) production, including physical location of feedstock.

    The emission plumes from large dairies with feedlots were characterized using novel measurement techniques. Ammonia emissions from land application sites during and after swine lagoon liquid irrigation were measured. A number of odor and gaseous emission experiments, including lagoon covers, manure pit treatments, spraying poultry litter with amendments, and feeding distillers grains (DDGS), were completed. Project members validated and further refined modeling tools for odor dispersion from livestock production facilities. Beef feedlot management practices, including dietary additives, were described that affect airborne emissions and whole-farm nutrient balance. Wet scrubbers were shown effective for absorbing ammonia emissions from exhaust fan airstreams of poultry buildings. Odors and hydrogen sulfide emissions from large dairy manure storage ponds were observed and the atmospheric conditions delineated that cause the most nuisance downwind from the facilities. Swine facilities were monitored to find correlations between indoor air conditions and presence of Salmonella in the barns. A study of swine barns where the exhaust ventilation air was partitioned between sidewall and pit exhaust demonstrated new possible strategies for managing ventilation systems to reduce odor and greenhouse gas emissions while reducing odor nuisance for neighbors. A field experiment demonstrating a package system of treatments showed the economic benefit for swine lagoons of changing from anaerobic to aerobic treatment, by way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and capturing carbon credits.

    A novel management approach for feeding protein levels on beef feedlots was assessed and showed the tradeoffs that occur between phosphorus excretion, gaseous emissions such as ammonia, and odor when using oscillating protein diets. A study comparing high-moisture ensiled corn and dry rolled corn showed potential differences in P excretion, odor and gaseous emissions from the feedlot. The effects of feeding low-phytate corn and low-phytate soybean meal, with and without phytase, on phosphorus excretion by pigs and chicks were further developed and results also include the benefits of feeding pigs low levels of the antibiotic Virginiamycin, for improving phosphorus utilization. A broad sampling of beef feedlot manure and wastewater produced a baseline of concentrations of various commonly used antibiotics. Three commonly used dairy manure management strategies were simulated to determine the persistence of several classes of pathogens. Mycobacyterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis, E. Coli 0157:H7, Listeria mollocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were monitored through a series of laboratory experiments to determine the effects of high temperature composting treatment compared to low temperature solid and liquid storages.

    Plans for coming year:

    Many of the research and extension activities that have not been concluded will continue through 2008. Participants in the committee will continue to work on: " environmentally-sustainable systems and methods for land application of manure; " new and improved technologies for treating manure including ways to create value-added co-products, while protecting surface- and groundwater; " methods and technologies for reducing airborne emissions from livestock facilities, manure storages, and land application sites; and " systems, technologies and management practices to reduce animal excretion of environmentally-sensitive nutrient and non-nutrient manure constituents.

    New efforts by a broad representation of the committee membership will progress toward integrating systems analysis methods, including protocols for life cycle assessment/analysis (LCA) for the technologies and management systems under study. Persons with backgrounds in economics and ecology will be participating more visibly in this new branch of the committees endeavors.

    Impact Statements:
    1. New management practices were identified and lower-cost tools were developed that make it possible for livestock producers to reduce nutrient runoff to surface water, from composting sites and land application sites for manure.
    2. A management zone approach to variable rate manure application will allow livestock producers to optimize soil quality and crop production while reducing runoff of nutrients to surface water. New GPS-based liquid manure spreading systems will help producers with more precise placement of manure nutrients and variable rate applications. Cover crops reduce soil erosion, build soil quality and protect surface water from nutrient runoff. An improved technique of seeding cover crops, manure slurry-enriched micro-site seeding, is shown to be an efficient and lower cost method of cover crop stand establishment.
    3. A comprehensive universal methane productivity equation was developed that will make it easier to design methane production systems for swine, beef, poultry, and dairy farms, in both mesophilic and thermophilic digestion systems
    4. Performance of dairy wastewater lagoon aerators were compared and quantified, indicating the enhancements needed by the manufacturers to make aerators more economical and effective for reducing hydrogen sulfide and ammonia emissions on dairy farms.
    5. Antibiotic resistance in dairy waste lagoons is of interest from the standpoint of animal and human health; quantification of gene resistance to antibiotics from different classes will provide management and design information for lagoon systems to minimize harmful impacts of antibiotic resistance.
    6. Improved multi-stage dairy wastewater digester design makes it possible to clean up wastewater to the extent that the water can be reused. This is important in locations where land and water resources are limited, i.e. HI. An on-farm system being developed for swine farms would provide similar wastewater cleanup for existing lagoon systems.
    7. Improved lower-cost systems and management practices for water runoff from livestock facilities with outside feedlots enables small farms to reduce environmental impacts to surface water quality.
    8. Economic and technical studies of single and multiple farm-scale methane digester implementations help focus efforts on feasible systems that incorporate biogas cleaning technologies and natural gas pipeline integration.
    9. Other work on swine manure digesters refines management techniques and points to digester systems that are more resource efficient.
    10. A simplified method for removing ammonia from wastewater prior to discharge has been tested and could greatly reduce the cost for ammonia cleanup.
    11. Livestock waste lagoon management has traditionally included retaining a minimum, but substantial, volume of wastewater in the lagoon at all times to provide treatment of manure volatile solids. Testing is being done on a refined management scheme that might allow more pumpdown of liquid as winter nears, thus freeing up more lagoon volume for wastewater storage during the season when liquid cannot be spread on cropland. The risk of surface water impacts would be reduced.
    12. A variety of manure composting management practices were tested to refine the management recommendations; these practices could make composting more affordable, resource efficient, and environmentally acceptable.
    13. A newly isolated treatment bacterium for removing ammonia from livestock wastewater promises to reduce wastewater treatment costs for farms and make advanced systems feasible that can discharge or reuse water. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced at the same time.
    14. Two technologies for removing manure nutrients from dairy lagoon wastewater  electrocoagulation and Geotubes  show promise for greatly reducing risk of surface water impacts from land application of liquid manure.
    15. Aquatic and vegetative research is developing technologies, such as long-term constructed wetlands treatment and overland flow vegetated buffers, to utilize animal wastes and municipal sludge in a sustainable manner so that nutrients are constructively used up while surface water quality is protected.
    16. Floating vegetated mats have the potential for treating livestock lagoon wastewater and for removing ammonia and other nutrients from fisheries wastewater.
    17. A landmark study on N mineralization of broiler litter will assist poultry producers with their manure management planning for more efficient, environmentally friendly crop production.
    18. Studies of the fate of antibiotics in beef feedlot manure will be beneficial in devising management practices and plans for minimizing movement of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant genes into the environment.
    19. Experiments using composted manure topdressed on turfgrass identify the best rates of application and the expected benefits.
    20. Culture of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, on feces recovered from a swine barn enables further refinement of the practice of using the larvae to process swine manure while producing a value-added product.
    21. A continuous thermochemical conversion process for making crude oil product from animal wastes and other agricultural by-products is nearing commercialization.
    22. Characterization and inventory for total cattle biomass (manure and waste feed) production, including physical location of feedstock, will assist in plans for using such cattle production byproducts as a source of renewable energy.
    23. The emission plumes from large dairies with feedlots were characterized using novel measurement techniques, thus assisting with plans for reporting and mitigating various emissions that include greenhouse gases and particulates.
    24. The link between animal diet and gaseous emissions from facilities has been further explored, allowing refinement of best management practices for emissions reduction. Other novel operational strategies for reducing gas and odor emissions have been quantified as well, making it easier for livestock producers to meet eventual emissions targets.
    25. The tubing used in sampling of air emissions is very critical in determining emission rates from animal facilities. Results of laboratory tests will enable researchers to pick the best type of tubing for their sampling applications.
    26. Ammonia emissions from land application sites during and after swine lagoon liquid irrigation were measured and give valuable information about planning and reporting ammonia losses.
    27. Odor emission factors of selected animal buildings for the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS), for use in air dispersion and evaluation of control technologies, will be determined.
    28. Modeling tools for odor dispersion from livestock production facilities have been validated and further refined, and those tools can help the livestock industry and community planners anticipate the best sites for locating new and expanded livestock facilities.
    29. treatments, spraying poultry litter with amendments, and feeding distillers grains (DDGS) further build the knowledge base about practices and technologies that can alter or mitigate airborne emissions from livestock facilities. Beef feedlot management practices, including dietary additives, are described that affect airborne emissions and whole-farm nutrient balance; characterization of commercial feedlot manure helps to refine manure management planning through better data. Wet scrubbers were shown effective for absorbing ammonia emissions from exhaust fan airstreams of poultry buildings, and design data are presented for implementation of the technology.
    30. Odors and hydrogen sulfide emissions from large dairy manure storage ponds were observed and the atmospheric conditions delineated that cause the most nuisance downwind from the facilities, thus providing a tool for producers to use in planning their mitigation efforts based on conditions. Swine facilities were monitored to find correlations between indoor air conditions and presence of Salmonella in the barns. Those findings may help producers manage prevalence of Salmonella and reduce the potential for contamination during harvest and processing of finishing animals.
    31. A study of swine barns where the exhaust ventilation air was partitioned between sidewall and pit exhaust demonstrated new possible strategies for managing ventilation systems to reduce odor and greenhouse gas emissions while reducing odor nuisance for neighbors. Furthermore, the results provide better recommendations for where to allocate expensive odor mitigation technologies on exhaust fans.
    32. A field experiment demonstrating a package system of treatments showed the economic benefit for swine lagoons of changing from anaerobic to aerobic treatment, by way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and capturing carbon credits. The aerobic technology reduced GHG emissions more than 96% and thus gives swine producers an interesting alternative to traditional anaerobic manure treatment.
    33. A novel management approach for feeding protein levels on beef feedlots was assessed and showed the tradeoffs that occur between phosphorus excretion, gaseous emissions such as ammonia, and odor when using oscillating protein diets. A study comparing high-moisture ensiled corn and dryrolled corn showed potential differences in P excretion, odor and gaseous emissions from the feedlot.
    34. The effects of feeding low-phytate corn and low-phytate soybean meal, with and without phytase, on phosphorus excretion by pigs and chicks are continually being refined and results also include the benefits of feeding pigs low levels of the antibiotic Virginiamycin, for improving phosphorus utilization.
    35. Improving dietary phosphorus utilization by non-ruminant animals has the potential for decreasing phosphorus excretion and thus reduce surface water contamination by phosphorus runoff.
    36. During composting of poultry mortality, populations of Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli, and Salmonella spp. are attenuated; but the extents were not well known. Experimental results can help develop carcass composting management guidelines that will best control the various pathogens of interest to regulators.
    37. A broad sampling of beef feedlot manure and wastewater produced a baseline of concentrations of various commonly used antibiotics. These occurrences might be useful in formulating management strategies for reducing the downstream loading of manure utilization systems by antibiotics. A rainfall-simulator study of antibiotic-containing solutions showed runoff mechanisms and attenuations of a number of common antibiotics.
    38. Three commonly used dairy manure management strategies were simulated to determine the persistence of several classes of pathogens. Mycobacyterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis, E. Coli 0157:H7, Listeria mollocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were monitored through a series of laboratory experiments to determine the effects of high temperature composting treatment compared to low temperature solid and liquid storages. Results can be used to design treatment strategies for manure that will be used in pathogen-sensitive environments such as vegetable production or residential gardening.
    Last Modified: 28-Jun-2007

    Date of Annual Report: 11/11/2007

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 02/28/06 to 03/02/06
  • Period the Report Covers: 10/2001 to 09/2007

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    see NIMSS site for minutes in the 2007 SAES-422

    Accomplishments:
    Introduction: This project brings together scientists from various disciplines to holistically address the environmental issues and concerns facing the livestock and poultry industry in North America. Our approach involves by necessity a large and diverse group representing most of the ecosystems and animal husbandry systems of the United States; we have found working in this community of professionals to be stimulating and productive toward the stated objectives of the project. We have also affirmed that the four main objectives of the project, which to the casual observer may appear disparate, are so interrelated in practice that the experimental work being carried out in any of the areas naturally connects into one or more of the other areas. That intertwining of sub-systems has led us to propose a more bold approach in a succeeding project, S-1032, of inviting participation by economists, ecologists and others to assist us in developing a new way of describing the functions and interactions of livestock and poultry production within the broader context of the environment.

    These are the objectives proposed at the beginning of the project in 2001 (see the list of specific tasks at http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/s1000/objectv.htm :

    " Objective 1. Develop management tools, strategies and systems for land application of animal manures and effluents that optimize efficient, environmentally friendly utilization of nutrients and are compatible with sustained land and water quality

    " Objective 2. Develop, evaluate, and refine physical, chemical and biological treatment processes in engineered and natural systems for management of manures and other wastes.

    " Objective 3. Develop methodology, technology, and management practices to reduce odors, gases, airborne microflora, particulate matter, and other airborne emissions from animal production systems.

    " Objective 4. Develop and evaluate feeding systems for their potential to alter the excretion of environmentally-sensitive nutrients by livestock.

    These milestones were proposed early in the project: As models of various processes are developed, they will be shared with the project participants and the administrative advisor for the purpose of fine-tuning the projects short term goals. Analytical and economic descriptions of systems -- land application, manure treatment, odor control, and nutrition -- will be an important part of evaluating progress.

    Accomplishments and impacts: (see a more complete list of accomplishments and impact statements at the annual reports site in NIMSS)

    Members of the project demonstrated substantial scientific progress toward each of the four main objectives during the term of the project. In all the following examples, states cooperated by sharing research capabilities, sharing data, and building on success during the period of the project. Most of the research activities were multi-year and some are still going on at the time of this writing.

    Project members explored many creative approaches to enhance performance of established components of livestock management systems or existing technologies. Some of the approaches showed considerable success, while others led to improved understanding of biological, chemical, and physical processes.

    Examples:

    Project scientists designed and demonstrated dairy wastewater treatment systems that can clean wastewater to the point of being re-usable in the dairy facility. Such systems combine, in an innovative package, refined versions of known technologies such as anaerobic digestion, nitrification and denitrification.

    Improved vegetative and aquatic systems were developed that polish wastewater to remove nutrients and sequester nutrients in a harvestable crop.

    New technologies were developed.

    Examples:

    A newly isolated treatment bacterium for removing ammonia from livestock wastewater promises to reduce wastewater treatment costs for farms and make advanced systems feasible that can discharge or reuse water. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced at the same time.

    A continuous thermochemical conversion process for making crude oil product from animal wastes and other agricultural by-products is nearing commercialization.

    Using black soldier flies to digest manure and produce a valuable animal feed can also reduce swine manure odor.

    Project members investigated emerging areas of environmental concerns.

    Examples:

    Project members investigated antibiotic resistant organisms in manure and wastewater, and the fate of endocrine disruptors and pharmaceutical products in water running off manure land application sites.

    Three commonly used dairy manure management strategies were simulated to determine the persistence of several classes of pathogens. Mycobacyterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis, E. Coli 0157:H7, Listeria mollocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were monitored through a series of laboratory experiments to determine the effects of high temperature composting treatment compared to low temperature solid and liquid manure storages. Results can be used to design treatment strategies for manure that will be used in pathogen-sensitive environments such as vegetable production or residential gardening.

    Some of the more significant impacts were development of new standards.

    Examples: " manure production and characteristics, revision of an old ASAE standard that was outdated and not very useful, to a new version that is enjoying rapid adoption by livestock industries " a universal methane productivity equation to make it easier to develop methane digestion systems for systems housing any livestock species " air emissions measurement, which allow scientists across the country to speak the same language and collect similar kinds of data on livestock system emissions

    New models were developed for predicting interactions between livestock production facilities and the environment.

    Examples:

    A number of odor footprint estimators, built on models used by EPA to predict transport of pollutants from point sources, were developed and validated. These new tools will help livestock industry and community planning representatives decide where to allow siting of new livestock facilities, so that odor and other nuisance-related conflicts between producers and communities can be minimized.

    Odors and hydrogen sulfide emissions from large dairy manure storage ponds were observed and the atmospheric conditions delineated that cause the most nuisance downwind from the facilities, thus providing a tool for producers to use in planning their mitigation efforts based on conditions.

    Extension programs made widespread use of S-1000 findings to inform producers, community planners, and agencies about latest technologies and management practices.

    Examples:

    Project members authored most of the chapters in, and reviewed and pilot tested all of, the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship national curriculum (see www.lpes.org ). The LPES curriculum became a widely recognized text defining the current state of the art of livestock manure management and odor control technologies. Various states use the LPES curriculum in Extension training environments.

    In many states, science-based information resulting from the S-1000 project was shared to help community members better understand the actual environmental impacts of livestock production. Dialogue within the community among citizens, environmentalists and livestock producers was initiated  a critical step in acceptance of farming practices.

    The project (now S-1032) is at a crucial turning point, during which the members will be expected to coalesce the knowledge of components into a systems approach. Such an approach will assist engineers, planners, educators, policymakers and others in deciding the wide-ranging effects of implementing specific technologies and management protocols.

    Examples:

    Compared to the beginning of the project, scientists associated with S-1000 have learned a lot more than they knew then about modifying livestock diets to reduce excretions of environmentally sensitive nutrients. Project members have shown that feeding swine and poultry low-phytase corn and soybeans, plus including synthetic phytase in the diets, can reduce phosphorus excretion by more than 50%. Animal performance is not decreased. This is an incredible impact, a substantial removal of potentially polluting phosphorus from the environment. We do not know the system-wide extent of such a change in livestock diets, however. We need a way to quantify all the implications of reducing the use of mined phosphate in those diets, from the supplier all the way to the watershed level.

    A variety of management practices for beef feedyards have been explored and refined by S-1000 participating scientists. However, the investigators are quick to point out that the air-emissions mitigation practices may affect water quality and other environmental factors. The system effects  the ecological footprint  of feedyard production should be examined to obtain the best overall outcomes and to equip planners with better decision tools.

    Impact Statements:
    1. see accomplishments secion and each annual report
    Last Modified: 11-Nov-2007
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