Manure and Nutrient Management

An important part of pork production is having an effective pig manure management plan in place. It’s also a legal requirement for farms and properties with animals to develop such a plan. Find information on pig manure application, and manure storage risks.

Swine Farm Manure Management Plan

It’s a legal requirement in Pennsylvania and other US states for farms and properties with animals to have a manure management plan in place. Farms that use manure for crop production are also required to develop and implement this type of plan. It’s the farm or property owner’s responsibility to ensure certain requirements are met relating to storage, stockpiling, stacking, manure and fertilizer application rates for each crop group, pasture management, and animal concentrations.

Help is available in the form of an online course that covers writing a manure management plan for Pennsylvania farmers and property owners.

Another essential management plan to have in place is a nutrient management plan. The plan should include an inventory of nutrient sources on the farm, nutrient analyzes, handling and storage procedures, crops and crop rotation, soil tests, standard animal weight changes, and procedures for when and how to apply manure.

Manure Management for Odor Control

Manure provides food for bacteria, and as they digest the manure, they give off odors. It’s a natural process but it’s also possible to reduce odors produced by the bacteria in several different ways. With odor being one of the biggest problems faced by swine farms, it’s important to understand the ways in which odor can be reduced.

Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that breaks down organic materials into biogas and left-over material that is called digestate. The process takes place in a sealed tank, also known as a digester. Temperate and pH can be managed in the digester, reducing odors and mineralizing nutrients.

Another method is compost production. The odor is reduced because temperature, moisture, and the carbon to nitrogen ratio can be better managed under aerobic conditions. Odor problems can be further reduced by adding carbon to the compost pile and regularly turning it.

Aeration is another popular method that reduces odors from stockpiles of manure. It is a process that mixes air into liquid manure promoting the growth of aerobic bacteria. Minimal odor is produced with aerobic breakdown of manure. The aeration reduces solids content and manure pit maintenance.

Pig Manure Application and Storage Hazards

A fundamental part of an effective manure management plan deals with manure application. Manure can be applied in a way that optimizes its economic returns and minimizes the environmental impact. An important factor that has to be considered is the calculation of manure application rates. The time of year and weather also impact on manure application. Spring, for example, is a time of year when you have to be patient with manure applications.

Standards and regulations are in place that dictate the design, construction, and operation of confined space manure storages. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks. Risks from asphyxiation, poisoning, and explosions can be reduced but not removed completely. One way of reducing the risk is to carefully monitor hazardous gases and oxygen levels.

Open air manure storage is just as hazardous. Risks include steep and slippery slopes that make getting out of manure storages difficult. Hazardous gases can also accumulate.

On farms where there is a mix of animals, for example, cows and pigs, producers also need to be aware of the hazards of handling manure that contains gypsum bedding.