Livestock and Poultry Waste Management

 
 

Table of Contents

Introduction

 

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Table of Contents for
Livestock and Poultry Waste Management BMP Booklet

 

4 INTRODUCTION
   
6 MANURE MANAGEMENT: HANDLING AND STORAGE
6 Environmental Concerns and Management Opportunities
7 Positive and Negative Aspects of Storage
8 Existing Legislation, Codes and Guides
8 The Nature of Manure
11 Systems for Manure Handling and Storage
21 Manure Treatment
23 Safety Considerations
24 Case Studies
28 Troubleshooting Manure Storage Problems
   
30 MANURE MANAGEMENT: APPLICATION SYSTEMS
31 Principles of Manure Application Systems
33 Manure as a Soil Conditioner and Source of Crop Nutrients
35 The Value of Manure
36 Practices of Manure Application
40 Contingency Plan for Manure Spills
41 Troubleshooting
42 Conclusion
   
43 MILKHOUSE CENTRE WASHWATER MANAGEMENT
43 Pollution Concerns
44 Milkhouse Washwater Disposal and Treatment Options
47 Summary of Waste Management Options for Dairy Operations
48 What about Alternative Cleaners
48 Troubleshooting

49

 Case Studies

 

 

LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY WASTE MANAGEMENT

 

INTRODUCTION
Avoid spreading in poor conditions. Plan your waste management system to fit your work schedule.

Livestock and poultry production are essential to Ontario agriculture. Over half of all farms with $2,500 in sales or more in 1989 listed livestock or poultry as their main business. That same year, 5.7 million head of livestock and 32.1 million chickens and turkeys were valued at $2.2 billion.

 

A large portion of the Ontario-grown grains and forages are fed to livestock and poultry. In this way, the sun's energy is converted into animal products for people to eat. Over 35% of all Ontario farmland is in hay or pasture. When grown in rotation with other crops, hay and pasture, with the addition of manure, help keep our farm soils well-structured and fertile. Permanent pasture on marginal croplands is a suitable land use. So, in most rural communities, livestock and poultry production improves the local economy and environmental quality.

 

LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY WASTE: ASSET OR LIABILITY?

The first goal of any waste management system is to maintain acceptable environmental standards. However, to be practical, the system must also be affordable and suitable to your operation. If livestock and poultry wastes are not properly handled, they can pollute surface and groundwater and cause air pollution. Harmful components include nitrates, phosphates, organic material and bacteria. When properly managed, though, these wastes become a valuable source of nutrients for crop production.

 

APPROACHING CHANGE: A SYSTEMS APPROACH

There are many factors to consider in livestock and poultry production including: the type and breed of animals, feed, housing, health, climate, marketing, financing and management. When making improvements, producers have to consider how change will affect all aspects of the operation. In this way, the operation is treated as a system.

Developing a way to manage waste is an important part of any livestock and poultry production system. The three most common reasons to change a waste management system are: time constraints, herd enlargement or pollution concerns.

When considering change, ask the following questions:

  • Is change affordable?
  • Is it suitable to the work schedule?
  • Does it fit with the operation and the type of housing?
  • Does it match the collection and transfer system?
  • How are other liquids such as rain, snow, milkhouse wastes and yard run-off handled?
  • How, at what rates and when will stored materials be applied to land?
  • Will odour be controlled?
  • Will run-off be prevented?
  • Will nutrient value be changed?

This booklet provides information to producers considering change to the way that manure, milkhouse wastes and other contaminated liquids are managed. The booklet will:

  • Look at the environmental risks associated with poor waste management practices.
  • Describe management and facility options.
  • Compare the potential impact of various options.
  • Provide practical tips to solve problems.
  • Illustrate how change worked with case studies.
  • List contacts and references for more details.

This booklet will not answer every question on manure and milkhouse waste management but it can help make decisions on farm planning and day-to-day operations.

 
Manure waste management systems should be designed to divert snow melt and rainfall or contain contaminated run-off.

Remember:

Livestock and poultry waste management = collection + transfer + storage + application + restricted livestock access to watercourses.

 

 

 


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Last Updated: Sunday, May 03, 2009 03:22:05 PM