Physical and Chemical Changes during Composting of Wood Chip–Bedded and Straw‐Bedded Beef Cattle Feedlot Manure

Abstract

In the 1990s, restrictions on incineration encouraged the forest industry in western Canada to develop new uses for their wood residuals by product. One such use was as a replacement for cereal straw bedding in southern Alberta's beef cattle (Bos taurus) feedlot industry. However, use of carbon (C)-rich bedding, such as wood chips, had implications for subsequent composting of the feedlot manure, a practice that was being increasingly adopted. In a 3-yr study, we compared composting of wood chip-bedded manure (WBM) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) straw-bedded manure (SBM). There were no significant differences in temperature regimes of SBM and WBM, indicating similar rates of successful composting. Of 17 physical and chemical parameters, five showed significant (P < 0.10) differences due to bedding at the outset of composting (Day 0), and 11 showed significant differences at final sampling (Day 124). During composting (10 sampling times), seven parameters showed significant bedding effects, 16 showed significant time effects, and four showed a Bedding x Time interaction. Significantly lower (P < 0.10) losses of nitrogen (N) occurred with WBM (19%) compared with SBM (34%), which has positive implications for air quality and use as a soil amendment. Other advantages of WBM compost included significantly higher total C (333 vs. 210 kg Mg(-1) for SBM) and inorganic N (1.3 vs. 1.0 kg Mg(-1) for SBM) and significantly lower total phosphorus (4.5 vs. 5.3 kg Mg(-1) for SBM). Our results showed that wood chip bedding should not be a problem for subsequent composting of the manure after pen cleaning. In combination with other benefits, our findings should encourage the adoption of wood chips over straw as a bedding choice for southern Alberta feedlots.

Nitrogen- and phosphorus-based applications of cattle manure and compost for irrigated cereal silage

“…Nutrient content observed in the manure and compost were consistent with other studies in southern Alberta Olson and Papworth 2006;Larney et al 2008). The average total N content in the manure (Table 4) was slightly lower than the standard value of 20 kg Mg…”

“…Stockpiled cattle (Bos taurus) manure and composted cattle manure were supplied by the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre, Lethbridge, Alberta, where straw had been used as pen bedding. Compost was produced in windrows with a turning schedule similar to that outlined by Larney et al (2008). The stockpiled manure originated from a private feedlot, and was stockpiled in the feedlot pens for about 6 mo prior to use.…”

“…Nutrient content was estimated using average analytical results from previous years. In 2001, average values used for the manure and compost sources were obtained from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Hao et al 2003;Larney et al 2008). In subsequent years, the estimated nutrient contents used for the purpose of calculating application rates were obtained from analysis carried out during this study.…”

Nutrient and trace element changes during manure composting at four southern Alberta feedlots

“…Composting decreases manure volume (Larney et al 2000), and eliminates pathogenic bacteria , human parasites (Van Herk et al 2004) and weed seed viability (Larney and Blackshaw 2003). Despite its benefits, like most manure-handling or storage practices, composting is associated with N and C losses (Larney et al 2006a(Larney et al , 2008Larney and Olson 2006). Most N is volatilized as NH 3 , but some is emitted as N 2 O, a greenhouse gas, while C losses as greenhouse gases (CO 2 , CH 4 ) also occur (Hao et al 2001(Hao et al , 2004.…”

Composting of Pig Manure Affected by Mixed Ratio of Sawdust and Rice Hull

“…다 (Mori et al, 1981;Kim et al, 1997;Larney et al, 2008;Lee et al, 2001;Lim et al, 2009 으로 인한 고온 지속효과가 낮은 한계점을 가지고 있다 (Sohn et al, 1996;Lee et al, 2001 …”