Vermicomposting: Tool for Sustainable Ruminant Manure Management

Abstract

Ruminants are important sources of meat and milk. Their production is associated with manure excretion. Estimates of over 3,900,000 million metric tonnes of manure are produced daily from ruminants worldwide. Storage and spread of this waste on land pose health risks and environmental problems. Efficient and sustainable way of handling ruminant manure is required. Composting and vermicomposting are considered two of the best techniques for solid biomass waste management. This paper presents vermicomposting as an effective tool for ruminant manure management. Vermicomposting is a mesophilic biooxidation and stabilisation process of organic materials that involves the joint action of earthworm and microorganism. Compared with composting, vermicomposting has higher rate of stabilisation and it is greatly modifying its physical and biochemical properties, with low C : N ratio and homogenous end product. It is also costeffective and ecofriendly waste management. Due to its innate biological, biochemical and physicochemical properties, vermicomposting can be used to promote sustainable ruminant manure management. Vermicomposts are excellent sources of biofertiliser and their addition improves the physiochemical and biological properties of agricultural soils. In addition, earthworms from the vermicomposting can be used as source of protein to fishes and monogastric animals. Vermicompost can also be used as raw materials for bioindustries.

Traditional agriculture: a climate-smart approach for sustainable food production

“…The use of organic manure can increase soil carbon or nitrogen levels in twofold in about 40 years (Jenkinson et al 1994;Powlson 1994;Tilman 1998). Traditional thermophillic composting is a low-energy, costefficient and sustainable approach to address the issues of soil fertility, environmental pollution, waste management and reducing chemical fertiliser inputs (Ndegwa and Thompson 2001;Nasiru et al 2013;Soobhany et al 2017). Composting is an important tool to social, ecological and economic sustainability (Scarpato and Simeone 2013; Proietti et al 2016).…”

Sustainable organic waste management using vermicomposting: a critical review on the prevailing research gaps and opportunities

“…Nasiru et al 53 stated that the ruminant manure is a valuable resource as a soil fertilizer providing both macro and micronutrients required for the plant growth. It is also a low-cost alternative to mineral fertilizer.…”

Cultivation of worms on a substrate containing poultry droppings fermented with addition of biodestructors

“…Among the nutrients of poultry droppings there is a certain concentration of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, macroelements and microelements [3,4]. Promising methods of rational disposal of broiler chicken droppings are its active composting under the action of a conglomerate of microorganisms and vermiculture [5][6][7]. Therefore, conducting research aimed at accelerating biotechnological methods of disposal of broiler chicken droppings with the use of bio-destructors and vermiculture is of important scientific and practical importance.…”