Project Number: 3625-11630-002-13
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Jun 01, 2008
End Date: May 31, 2009

Objective:
Evaluate the effect of alternative manure management practices on emissions from swine facilities and manure storage systems

Approach:
Multiple grow-finish barns will be instrumented with sampling units to collect NH3, H2S, CH4, and N2O emitted from the deep-pit production unit. Zeolite¿ will be added to one building while another unit will serve as a control. The initial study will be conducted in a new facility to evaluate the effect of Zeolite¿ without previous manure in the building. Weekly samples will be collected and transported to the National Soil Tilth Laboratory for analysis. Comparisons will be made of the concentrations of each of the gases based on five replicate samples from each production unit. These observations will be made throughout a production cycle to quantify the changes in the concentrations. Observations will be made of the rate of gain, mortality, and manure quality from the deep-pit when the manure is removed. Manure is stored under anaerobic conditions in a deep-pit and information would suggest that conversion of these units to an aerobic system would reduce the emission of NH3, CH4, and odor. Two pits will be developed that are 4 x 10 x 4 ft (w x l x h) in which aeration tubes will be placed in the lower part of the storage unit and aeration beginning when the pit is recharged with water. Manure will be added daily to each pit in the same volume as would be expected from a production unit. Manure will be collected from a production unit and split between the two pits to ensure no bias due to the manure. Observations will be collected of NH3, CH4, H2S, and VOC¿s using the same sampling systems as in the Agrascent study. Observations will be collected of manure quality at the end of the study. This study will provide an assessment of the potential of aeration on reducing emissions from deep pit systems.