Humic manure additive reduces odor from Pennsylvania swine finishing operation

Eileen Fabian-Wheeler, Robin C. Brandt, Michael L. Hile, Robert Mikesell

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

A demonstration project was performed to document the efficacy of a proprietary humic-material for reduction of liquid swine manure odors at a full-scale commercial finishing operation. Two 2,250-pig, tunnel-ventilated, deep pit finishing barns located -0.55 km (1800 ft) apart, operated in substantially identical manner by the same grower, were enlisted for the demonstration. One barn was treated with the amendment and the other was maintained as control (untreated). After a 20-week grow-out cycle, underfloor storage pits were emptied and manure surface applied on nearby fields. The process was then repeated with amendment treatment and control barns switched. Barn exhaust evaluations found that average barn odor emission rates were reduced by 21% (odor units/minute), with a statistical confidence >99% for both field and lab assessment methods. Additionally, land application odor concentration levels were reduced by 21% to 60%, with a statistical confidence of 85% and >99.9% for field and lab olfactometer assessment methods, respectively. Manure storage treatments with the humic amendment involved less than eight hours of labor over a hog finishing cycle, with an estimated cost of $0.70/hog (product + labor). This on-farm demonstration, together with laboratory and pilot scale studies that preceded it using the same product, indicate that humic amendment of swine manure can significantly reduce odor emissions. It is reasonable to expect odor mitigation effectiveness would be site specific; dependent on physical, chemical, biological, and metrological conditions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2015
PublisherAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Pages1071-1085
Number of pages15
ISBN (Electronic)9781510810501
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015
EventAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2015 - New Orleans, United States
Duration: Jul 26 2015Jul 29 2015

Publication series

NameAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2015
Volume2

Other

OtherAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityNew Orleans
Period7/26/157/29/15

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Bioengineering
  • Agronomy and Crop Science

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