Additives Used with Straw Bedding Can Mitigate Ammonia and Greenhouse Gaseous Emissions from Solid Cattle Manure in Sloping-Floor Housing System

Abstract

We studied the influence of lava meal, zeolite and top layer of sandy soil as bedding additives on gaseous C and N losses from a sloping-floor barn of naturally ventilated animal housing. We selected four barn units where eight young bulls’ group was reared in each barn. Chopped straw of wheat and barley applied daily at the rate of 5 kg per livestock unit (LU) in bedding areas where one LU consisted of 500 kg body mass of live bulls. Zeolite, lava meal and sandy soil (18% clay + silt) applied in barn at the rate of 10, 20 and 30% of straw dose, respectively. Static flux chamber was used to measure gases emissions from the barn unit and mass balance calculation was used to calculate straw manure total N (TN) losses during housing phase. On an average, all bedding additives decreased 85% of the NH3 emission compared to control; however, they did not influence CH4 emission. Zeolite decreased CO2 (35%) and N2O (37%) emission rates. Subsequently, lava meal, sandy soil and zeolite decreased 23, 37, and 50% of TN losses from barn manure, respectively. Overall, measured N emissions through NH3-N and N2O-N from the barns was 11% of calculated TN losses while remainder 89% was most probably attributed to di-nitrogen (N2), a harmless gas. Hence, in straw-based cattle housings, zeolite could be a promising additive for reduction of CO2, N2O and NH3 emissions and sandy soil can be considered as cheap and readily available resource for reducing NH3 emission.

Using Natural Zeolite as a Feed Additive in Broilers’ Diets for Enhancing Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality Traits

“…According to Miles and Henry [13], increased aluminosilicate content in the diet resulted in a linear decrease in fecal moisture. The addition of clinoptilolite to broiler bedding or feed reduced the moisture content of the bedding, which was attributed to the higher water absorption capacity of the material [14].…”