Eps 7: Animal waste management Agriculture
An animal waste management plan consists of information about manure production, storage, and use.
If more nitrogen and phosphorus arrive on the farm than leave it, these nutrients accumulate in the soil.
You can complete your plan using the resources in the book On-Farm Strategies to Protect Water Quality .
Host
Valerie Steward
Podcast Content
The 1991 EEC Nitrates Directive requires farmers to pay for the disposal of manure and to undertake the disposal of animal waste in a safe and environmentally friendly manner, such as through composting.
Dutch slurry policy has reportedly had the following effects: a reduced amount of slurry in the soil, reduced nutrient spread and a reduction in nitrogen pollution. The success of the policy implementation is attributed to the use of feeding strategies for the storage of slurry, rather than to the application of them. Feeding strategies can also be used to reduce the impact of animal waste on soil health and water quality, as well as on animal welfare.
The study also found that the use of feeding strategies for the storage of manure instead of the application of the Directive has led to a reduction in the nitrogen pollution from animal waste in soil and water.
The Department of Agricultural Resources requires all agricultural facilities that compost materials other than their own to register with the MDAR Farm Composting Program and compost any materials they own. Organic waste can be animal waste, compost, kitchen waste, slurry, animal by-products and other organic waste. Unregistered institutions are otherwise subject to the requirements of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs .
Composting is a sustainable waste management that converts the resulting organic waste volume into recyclable products. Waste management is the way we dispose of things we do not want on the farm, such as animal waste, animal by-products, food waste and animal feed. When organic waste is broken down by micro-organisms and the heat generated by the environment, the volume of waste is reduced and many harmful organisms are destroyed, resulting in useful and potentially marketable products.
As regards the impact on the environment on water recipients, it is well known that agriculture uses more water than any other form of waste management in the world. Storage of slurry is therefore compulsory and causes problems that are accompanied by its deterioration. Livestock slurry production has an impact on air quality, while greenhouse gas emissions alone account for more than 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
This module provides an overview of the impact of industry trends on slurry management and the impact on the environment. The impact is consistent with the trend towards higher product yields and optimisation of livestock farming.
This module deals with the fact that the slurry is primarily used as a fertilizer for plants on land. It is also about the importance of managing and reducing the risk of the slurry getting nutrients into the water.
Economic pressures and consumer demand have driven a consolidation trend in livestock farming. For this reason, the slaughter, feeding and transport of billions of animals slaughtered, fed and transported on farms officially known as concentrated animal feed is environmentally costly. According to an analysis of USDA figures by Food & Water Watch, the largest CAOs that grow livestock and poultry in the United States produce more than 1.5 billion tons of animal waste each year.
CAFOs do not treat animal waste in the same way as human waste and divert it from municipal sewage systems to wastewater treatment plants. The problem of improper management of livestock waste can have negative effects on the environment, human health and the health of local communities. Population and livestock production are increasing in the American Pacific, but the number of animal farms in the region is still limited.
Properly treated waste is a valuable source of plant nutrients and is virtually free of pathogens. There is no direct link between animal waste management and human health issues, but there is some evidence of adverse effects on the environment and the health of local communities.
A single horse produces up to 50 pounds of waste a day, and laying hens produce up to 1.5 million pounds a year, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
For farmers, responsible management of livestock waste is one of the most important measures. Mandatory regulation may directly or indirectly affect the management of agricultural fertilisers. There is no need to store it on private property for use, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture .
Raw animal manure on farms is considered a product of animal production and must respect the environmental regulations of RSD, ICPE and IED and the spread of the soil. Livestock dung, raw or treated, can come in various shapes and sizes depending on the use and location in the country of distribution. Once the product has been placed on the market and is homologated to the specifications approved by the regulations, it can be considered as a dried material.