AgResearch
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Addition of straw or sawdust to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from slurry produced by housed cattle: a field incubation study

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-04, 09:47 authored by Tony van der WeerdenTony van der Weerden, Jiafa LuoJiafa Luo, Moira DexterMoira Dexter
The use of housed wintering systems (e.g., barns) associated with dairy cattle farming is increasing in southern New Zealand. Typically, these wintering systems use straw or a woodmix as bedding material. Ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (nitrous oxide [N2O] and methane [CH4]) associated with storage of slurry + bedding material from wintering systems is poorly understood. A field incubation study was conducted to determine such emissions from stored slurry where bedding material (straw and sawdust) was added at two rates and stored for 7 mo. During the first 4 mo of storage, compared with untreated slurry, the addition of sawdust significantly reduced NH3 and CH4 emissions from 29 to 3% of the initial slurry nitrogen (N) content and from 0.5 to <0.01% of the initial slurry carbon (C) content. However, sawdust enhanced N2O emissions to 0.7% of the initial slurry-N content, compared with <0.01% for untreated slurry. Straw generally had an intermediate effect. Extending the storage period to 7 mo increased emissions from all treatments. Ammonia emissions were inversely related to the slurry C:N ratio and total solid (TS) content, and CH4 emissions were inversely related to slurry TS content. Mitigation of GHG emissions from stored slurry can be achieved by reducing the storage period as much as possible after winter slurry collection, providing ground conditions allow access for land spreading and nutrient inputs match pasture requirements. Although adding bedding material can reduce GHG emissions during storage, increased manure volumes for carting and spreading need to be considered.

History

Rights statement

Copyright © 2015 ASAS. All Rights Reserved.

Publication date

2014-07-01

Project number

  • Non revenue

Language

  • English

Does this contain Māori information or data?

  • No

Publisher

American Society of Animal Science

Journal title

Journal of Environmental Science

ISSN

0047-2425

Citation

van der Weerden, T.J., Luo, J., & Dexter, M. (2014). Addition of straw or sawdust to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from slurry produced by housed cattle: a field incubation study. Journal of Environmental Quality, 43(4), 1345-1355.

Usage metrics

    Keywords

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC