Nutrients in swine manure for use as soil fertilizer

Abstract

Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of animal protein, and swine farming plays a significant role in this sector. With the increase in the prices of mineral fertilizers, swine manure can be an alternative for fertilization and reduce production costs if carefully monitored to minimize damage and environmental impacts. The objective of this study was to characterize swine liquid slurry from a commercial finishing farm and determine the concentrations of total nitrogen, N-NH4 +, total phosphorus, and potassium for its use as a source of nutrients for the soil. The manure volume was calculated. The body retention of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and physical and chemical attributes of the feed and manure were evaluated. In the analyzed swine manure, the concentrations of the total nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, total phosphorus, and potassium were 6.14, 2.87, 3.66, and 2.64 g L-1, respectively. Liquid swine manure proved to be an efficient substitute for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium chemical fertilizers, representing cost savings of R$11,743.44 in chemical fertilizers.