Utilization of cattle manure on farms

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 20:55

There are many livestock complexes specializing in cattle breeding in Russia. Unfortunately, in many cases, heaps of animal waste products accumulate near such farms. This, in turn, can lead to such unpleasant consequences as soil contamination with nitrates and microbes, the penetration of harmful substances into nearby water bodies, and the spread of infectious diseases.

Such a procedure as manure disposal allows not only to solve all these problems in the economy, but also to get additional profit. Recycled cattle waste can be sold to other enterprises in the industry as fertilizer for various types of crops.

Deletion methods

Recycled manure is a rotted humus used mainly as a fertilizer in the fields. There are many ways to process such organic matter. However, before proceeding with the procedure for the disposal of waste products of cattle, they, of course, should be removed from the premises of the farm itself.

Technologythere are several cleaning barns from manure:

1. Mechanical. In this case, a V-shaped scraper is mounted in the passage between the pens. A chain is fixed to it and fixed on the drum of a special mechanism. When the machine is turned on, the scraper starts to move along the passage towards the receiving containers, raking the manure.

2. Water flush. In this case, a receiving tray is arranged in the aisle on the farm. Hoses are also pulled in the barn. Removal of faeces when using this technology occurs when the water is turned on under pressure. The waste products of animals flow down the tray outside the barn.
3. Manual. In this case, the floors in the barn are mounted with a slight slope towards the entrance gate. Manure when using this technique is partially removed outside the premises by gravity. The bulk of its mass is removed manually with the help of shovels. Cleaned faeces are collected in carts and transported to a storage site.

Removal and disposal of cattle manure should be carried out in both small and large farms. The first two methods of cleaning the premises from the feces of cows are usually used on large farms. The latest technology is used in private backyards and small farms.

Can fresh manure be used as fertilizer?

Such a substance for feeding agricultural plants, of course, is absolutely not suitable. Utilization of cattle manure in farms before using it as a fertilizer must be carried out without fail. Rotting in the soil, freshorganics will surely burn the roots of plants. As a result, they will reduce productivity or even die. Also in fresh manure in large quantities are various kinds of harmful microorganisms. Plants fed with such a substance are more likely to be infected with pathogenic viruses, bacteria or fungi. And this, of course, will also have the most negative impact on crop yields.

Another disadvantage of fresh manure is the presence of seeds of various kinds of harmful plants in it. When they hit the ground, they will quickly germinate and clog plantings. Farm workers will have to spend time and money on weeding.

Use as a fertilizer in the fields, in orchards and orchards exclusively rotted cattle manure that has passed the disposal procedure. The mass taken out from the farms is preliminarily kept for some time. In the process of overheating of manure in its thickness, due to high temperatures, all harmful microorganisms and weed seeds die. At the same time, some substances also break down in feces to simpler forms. And this, in turn, makes the mass much more useful for crops. Bound forms contained in fresh manure are simply not absorbed by plants in most cases.

Methods of storage

Cleaning and disposal of manure on cattle farms can be done using different technologies. However, the waste of this variety removed from the farm is always stored in specially designated places. main waysthere are only three manure storages. In the first case, the mass is collected in small piles with a base area of 2 x 2 m. When using this technique, harmful bacteria and fungi subsequently die in manure. Also, oxygen is escaping from the mass. This technology is called cold storage.

Sometimes manure is also stored in a thick layer, without tamping. As soon as the mass warms up due to the chemical processes occurring in it, it is carefully crushed. Then, a new layer is laid on top of the layer that has begun to melt, also without ramming it. In the future, the procedure is repeated. With this method of storage in manure, all harmful microorganisms also die. They call this technology anaerobic.

Sometimes manure is also stored using biometric technology. In this case, they dig a hole in the ground and strengthen its walls. The bottom is also covered with some kind of building material. Then, for example, dry grass, old rotted manure, etc. are placed in the pit. Fresh manure from the farm premises is poured into the middle and covered with straw or earth.

Disposal Methods

Storage according to the methods described above allows you to get a fairly high-quality fertilizer. However, when using such technologies, the waste products of cows are overheated for a very long time - from several months to a year. At present, various modern methods can be used for the disposal of cattle manure, which significantly speed up this process.

For example, removed from the premisesfarm manure can be processed using the following technologies:

• fermentation using humates;
• vermicomposting;
• insisting;
• regular composting.

Sometimes the disposal of cattle manure on farms is also carried out using the following methods:

• granulation;
• bioprocessing.

In some cases, manure removed from farms is used to produce biofuels instead of fertilizers.

Fermentation technology

This technique has, first of all, the advantage that it allows you to save manure in the future when feeding it to plants. In addition, when using humates, the waste products of cattle themselves overheat much faster.

Actually, the technology of manure utilization by fermentation itself is as follows:

• 2-3 months before applying to the fields, the manure pile is watered with a solution of humates;
• thoroughly mix the pile.

Humate solution is prepared at the rate of 10 g of stimulants per 10 kg of manure. Among other things, the use of this technology makes it possible to reduce the cost of organic matter removed from farms when used as a fertilizer. This type of top dressing reacts most positively to crop yields.

What is vermicomposting?

This manure disposal technology is considered the most environmentally friendly. In this case, in heapsfarm waste simply colonizes earthworms. Passing organic matter through their body, these representatives of the fauna secrete a substance similar to humus. Manure processed in this way is a fully stabilized organic fertilizer that has a very good effect on the growth and development of vegetables, cereals, legumes, etc.

California red earthworms are most commonly used for vermicomposting farm biological waste. This variety was bred in Russia by Krasnodar breeders. Red worms process manure very quickly. Subsequently, after applying such fertilizer to the fields, they also begin to loosen the soil, which has the most beneficial effect on its physical and chemical properties. In addition to environmental safety, the advantages of this technique include low cost.

Infusion Technology

Fertilizers made according to this method are used in agriculture as a liquid top dressing mainly for vegetable crops. This method of manure disposal is considered the simplest and fastest. In this case, the mass is first poured with water in a ratio of 1: 1. Then it is insisted for a week, constantly stirring, until the fermentation processes stop. At the next stage, the working solution is additionally diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. The resulting fertilizer is used for its intended purpose.

Regular composting

The method of decontamination and disposal of manure in this way is probably known to all summer residents. Compared to rotted in the usual way in heaps,composted mass is a more balanced substance in terms of the amount of nutrients and microelements included in the composition.

The method of manure utilization using this technology looks like this:

• last year's manure is laid at the base of the pile;
• all kinds of waste are laid out in layers: tops, grass, vegetable peel, etc.;
• as soon as the height of the pile reaches 1-1.5 m, the mass is poured with water.

Overcomposts composted manure for months.

Biological recycling

Sometimes cattle manure is also disposed of using this technique. In this case, various types of industrially produced preparations are used for the processing of organic mass. These can be, for example:

1. Yeast. Their use makes it possible to utilize cattle faeces, converting them into biohumus, which is very useful for plants.
2. Enzymes. These active elements of biological origin quickly decompose organic matter with the release of nitrogen and carbon.
3. Lactic bacteria. Being introduced into the manure mass, these microorganisms convert lactic acid into a substrate. As a result, pathogenic microflora dies in the waste.

Most often, domestic and Chinese biological products are used for manure disposal on farms.

Manure pelleting

Thus, the waste products of cattle are processed intoindustrial enterprises. In this case, manure disposal is carried out on lines of a special design.

The advantage of organic granules is, first of all, that they contain absolutely no harmful microorganisms. In addition, this fertilizer is very convenient to use. Manure disposal systems using this technology are usually supplemented, among other things, with packaging equipment. Such granules are delivered to consumers most often simply in bags.

Processing manure into biofuel

In most cases, the waste products of cattle are used, of course, precisely as fertilizer. But sometimes biofuels are also made from them. In this case, special equipment is also used for disposal. It is often installed directly in the livestock complexes themselves. Often such a manure disposal system is installed underground. This allows you to save space in the premises of the complex. Biogas extracted from manure can be used, for example, to heat farm pens.