Microbe Nutrition. Optimal Moisture Conditions

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Microbe Nutrition. Optimal Moisture Conditions"

Emily Boyd
5 years ago
Views:

1 A Few Surprises: What Are the Best Recipes for ing Large Bovine Carcasses in the Southern High Plains? Making the Microbes Unhappy Imbalanced diet Not enough insulation Too much water (or not enough) Not enough air (or too much) Brent W. Auvermann, Texas Cooperative Extension Stocker Cattle Meeting Hereford, TX Microbe Nutrition Air and Water Target carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) of 3: 3 5 Low-carb diet favors NH 3 release Conventional wisdom: don t stray too far from 3:. Screwing up a pile means getting air and water out of proper balance 2. Water displaces air in a pile 3. Too wet goes anaerobic; too dry goes dormant 4. Too wet = >6%; too dry = <35% Optimal Moisture Conditions Temperature Considerations Thermophile Activity Decreases 4% 6% Pore Space Begins to Fill; Anaerobic Conditions Predominate The cooler the pile, the easier the screw-up Small piles can t insulate themselves as well Oversized piles reduce O 2 /CO 2 exchange Optimal pile size depends on the distribution of pore sizes

MICROORGANISMS WATER RATE OF DECOMPOSITION FAST SLOW OXYGEN ORGANIC MATTER

WATER VAPOR HEAT COMPOST C:N Ratios of Some Carbon Sources Feedstock N (%db) C:N

5 5. Grass clippings 3.7 5 55.5 Leaves.9 48 43.2 Produce waste 2.2 2 44.

2 MICROORGANISMS WATER RATE OF DECOMPOSITION FAST SLOW OXYGEN ORGANIC MATTER Carbohydrates Sugars Proteins Fats Hemicellulose Cellulose Lignin Mineral Matter WATER VAPOR HEAT COMPOST C:N Ratios of Some Carbon Sources Feedstock N (%db) C:N Ratio C (%db) Fruit wastes Yard wastes Paper Sawdust Grass clippings Leaves Produce waste Food wastes Pine wood shavings Oat straw Wheat Straw Materials and Tools Carbon-rich materials Variety of pore sizes Total C is not the same thing as available C Front-end loader or windrow turner Reliable water source Long-stemmed thermometer Weaponry 2

Some Serious No-Nos Site selection Right next to the road

the wind Base material Hydrophobic Thin Easily compressed

the enemies Easterners and Southerners have one set of

another To shed, or not to shed, rainfall?

soil, nearby surface water and cozy neighbors Use whatever

body parts partially exposed Walk away Ideal Carcass Pile

3 Some Serious No-Nos Site selection Right next to the road (or the mayor s house) Bare, sandy soils Sheltered from the wind Base material Hydrophobic Thin Easily compressed Nature Sometimes Works Against YOu Rain, snow and cold are the enemies Easterners and Southerners have one set of concerns Westerners have another Northerners have still another To shed, or not to shed, rainfall? Summary: Don t Do This Choose a location with bare, sandy soil, nearby surface water and cozy neighbors Use whatever nasty waste materials you have on hand Soak er good Leave body parts partially exposed Walk away Ideal Carcass Pile Moist, slightly pre-composted, higher C:N 2-24 Dry, porous, absorbent (8-24 ) 3

4 Beef Manure & Hay (HOBO # ) Temperature (F) Precipitation Daily Air Temperature Temperature Precipitation (In.) 6/23/24 7/3/24 7/3/24 7/23/24 8/2/24 8/2/24 8/22/24 Date Varmints 4

5 Equine Case Study Dr. Lance Baker and Ms. Laurie Brown, WTAMU 3 Treatments x 3 Replications Beef feedlot manure only Feedlot manure + hay Horse manure/wood shavings (stall cleanout) Low-Ash Manure from Paved Pens Carcasses Slightly Smaller than Mature Dairy Cattle (9-2 lb/hd) Interim Data (3 mos.) Only; 6-mo. Data Pending All Piles Stall Cleanings Core Temperature (F) May-6 6-Jun-6 4-Jul-6 -Aug-6 8-Sep-6 Core Temperature (F) May-6 6-Jun-6 4-Jul-6 -Aug-6 8-Sep-6 Pile 9 Pile 8 Pile 7 Pile 6 Pile 5 Pile 4 Pile 3 Pile 2 Pile Pile 7 Pile 4 Pile % Manure 5% Manure, 5% Hay Core Temperature (F) May-6 6-Jun-6 4-Jul-6 -Aug-6 8-Sep Core Temperature (F) May-6 6-Jun-6 4-Jul-6 Pile 9 Pile 6 Pile 3 -Aug-6 8-Sep-6 Pile 8 Pile 5 Pile 2 5

6 Beef Cattle Case Study 4 Treatments x 2 Replications Beef feedlot manure only Feedlot manure + hay Horse manure/wood shavings (stall cleanout) Horse manure/shavings + feedlot manure Low-Ash Manure from Paved Pens Smaller Carcasses (4- lb/hd) Horse Stable Manure and Bedding Daily temp /2/5 9/9/5 /29/5 2/8/5 2/6/6 3/28/ Horse Stable Manure and Bedding.8.7 Daily Temp /2/5 9/9/5 /29/5 2/8/5 2/6/6 3/28/ Beef Cattle Manure.8 Rainfall.7 Pile Temp Air Temp /2/5 9/9/5 /29/5 2/8/5 2/6/6 3/28/ Beef Cattle Manure Daily temp 7/2/5 9/9/5 /29/5 2/8/5 2/6/6 3/28/ Beef Cattle Manure and CRP Hay Daily Temp 7/2/5 9/9/5 /29/5 2/8/5 2/6/6 3/28/

7 Beef Cattle Manure and CRP Hay Daily temp 7/2/5 9/9/5 /29/5 2/8/5 2/6/6 3/28/ Cattle Manure and Horse Manure/Bedding Daily temp /2/5 9/9/5 /29/5 2/8/5 2/6/6 3/28/6 Cattle Manure and Horse Manure/Bedding Average (n=2) Temperatures Daily Temp //5 //5 2//5 2//6 Horse manure/wood shavings Beef cattle manure Beef cattle manure and CRP hay Cattle manure and stable cleanout 7/2/25 9/9/25 /29/25 2/8/25 2/6/26 3/28/26 How They Stacked Up Bin Recipe Overall Rank Recipe Rank Horse manure + wood shavings Cattle manure only Cattle manure + CRP hay Cattle manure + stall cleanout Horse manure + wood shavings Cattle manure only Cattle manure + CRP hay Cattle manure + stall cleanout Interim Conclusions HOBO devices must be watched closely while in the pile (protected cables; check them weekly) Horse manure/wood shavings bedding composts easily by itself but is not optimal for carcass composting Low C:N ratios (~5:) of cattle manure or manure + hay are not a major detriment temperature-wise 7

8 Other Observations Ending moisture contents ranged from 32-47% wet basis C:N ratio conventional wisdom needs to be reconsidered, or at least taken with salt grains Excellent results in rainy weather (24) even with C:N of or 2 C:N ratio and porosity distribution show some interactions in overall pile performance Effective carbon differs from total carbon 8

Citation. Environmental Aspects of Carcass Disposal. Conclusions of Iowa Study. Air Pollution (cont d) Ground Water Quality: Burial s #1 Threat

Citation. Environmental Aspects of Carcass Disposal. Conclusions of Iowa Study. Air Pollution (cont d) Ground Water Quality: Burial s #1 Threat Citation Environmental Aspects of Carcass Disposal Brent W. Auvermann Texas A&M University System Amarillo, TX Engels, B., K. J. Lim, J. Y. Choi and L. Theller. 4. Chapter 4: Evaluating environmental impacts.