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Agronomy
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Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems
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Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 January 2025 | Viewed by 28970

Special Issue Editors

Dr. David Fangueiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LEAF, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) and carbon cycling in soils amended with organic residues; management, treatment and valorization of organic wastes from agricultural activities; management of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) at farm and field scale; soil and water contamination by nitrates and phosphates; emissions of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) and ammonia from agricultural activities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. José L. S. Pereira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Agrarian School of Viseu, Quinta da Alagoa, 3500-606 Viseu, Portugal
Interests: agricultural science; waste management; air, soil and water pollution; ammonia and greenhouse gases emissions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Meat and dairy production consumption should increase over the next decades despite the well-known impact of livestock production on ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and consequently on climate change. It is therefore of high relevance to define some accurate and specific strategies of NH3 and GHG abatement in each country or even region. Indeed, even if a significant number of studies dealing with the topic of NH3 and GHG emissions from livestock production are already published, there is still some lack of information regarding the impact of livestock production in some countries that erroneously adopt solutions developed in other regions with very different characteristics. On the other hand, many solutions have been presented to minimize NH3 and GHG emissions but only few are applied at farm scale due to the associated cost or even to low farmer acceptance. Finally, some of these solutions might lead to the so-called pollution swapping if not studied following an holistic approach.

We invite all the research teams dealing with NH3 and GHG emissions from livestock production to share your most recent results in this Special Issue with research articles. Invitations are open but not limited to the following topics:

  • Emissions from livestock facilities and animal manure management: assessment of emissions factors, mitigation techniques, impacts on animal welfare and environment
  • Enteric fermentation and animal welfare
  • Ammonia and GHG measurement: new expedited and accurate methodologies and low cost solutions to assess gaseous emissions in emerging countries
  • Implementation of available technology: farmer and society acceptance, optimization of costs

Dr. David Fangueiro
Prof. Dr. José L.S. Pereira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ammonia
  • animal houses
  • emissions factors
  • greenhouse gases
  • manure management
  • nutrients recycling
  • measurement methodologies
  • mitigation techniques
  • livestock production

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1478 KiB  
Article
Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Organic Manure Composting: The Effect of Membrane Cover
by Zsolt István Varga, Shaghil Shahzad, Muhammad Wajahat Ramay, Mariem Damak, Miklós Gulyás, András Béres, Csaba Gyuricza, András Székács and László Aleksza
Agronomy 2024, 14(7), 1471; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14071471 - 7 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1408
Abstract
The current scientific literature predominantly focuses on pilot-scale studies concerning the effectiveness of membrane covers in reducing gas emissions during cattle manure composting. Our study centers on the application of a leading market commercial membrane cover (ePTE-TEXcomm) and a locally manufactured [...] Read more.
The current scientific literature predominantly focuses on pilot-scale studies concerning the effectiveness of membrane covers in reducing gas emissions during cattle manure composting. Our study centers on the application of a leading market commercial membrane cover (ePTE-TEXcomm) and a locally manufactured one (ProfiCover®) at industrial processing levels, evaluating their efficacy in mitigating gas emission during the fifth day of the thermophilic phase. Taking into account material inhomogeneities, work environment impact, and efficiency, the results are characteristic of industrial-scale processes rarely discussed in the scientific literature. Our results, obtained with a portable gas sampler and FTIR spectroscopy measurements using corresponding standards, indicate that ePTE-TEXcomm manifested a reduction of 90.8% for NH3 and 59.6% for CO2. CH4 emissions increased, suggesting their potential entrapment. N2O and propane equivalent experienced reductions of 23.1% and 44.8%, respectively. On the other hand, ProfiCover® presented emission reductions for NH3 and CO2 of 93.3% and 85.9%, respectively. CH4, contrasting with ePTE-TEXcomm, showed a significant reduction of 55.6%. N2O and propane equivalent followed with reductions of 56.7% and 84.5%, respectively. All of this divergence in performance implies a potential trade-off in emission reduction efficacy between the covers. Knowledge sharing between researchers and industry partners is key to translating these technologies into widespread adoption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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19 pages, 1374 KiB  
Article
Manure Acidification and Air Cleaners for Ammonia Abatement: A Holistic Assessment of the Costs and Effects on Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems
by Camilla Geels, Steen Gyldenkærne, Tavs Nyord, Hans Estrup Andersen, Eugenio Molina-Navarro, Dennis Trolle, Hans Thodsen, Jesper L. Bak, Maria Theresia Konrad, Berit Hasler, Kaj M. Hansen, Jesper H. Christensen and Karen Timmermann
Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020283 - 17 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1745
Abstract
Manure acidification has been introduced as an abatement to reduce ammonia (NH3) emissions to improve air quality and protect terrestrial and aquatic environments from nitrogen deposition. A successful regulation of NH3 emissions using manure acidification might, however, result in increased [...] Read more.
Manure acidification has been introduced as an abatement to reduce ammonia (NH3) emissions to improve air quality and protect terrestrial and aquatic environments from nitrogen deposition. A successful regulation of NH3 emissions using manure acidification might, however, result in increased nitrogen leaching from fertilized fields with adverse effects on freshwater and marine ecosystems, if the overall fertilizer application rate in the fields is not adjusted according to the increased fertilizer value of the manure. We apply a holistic model framework encapsulating all important environmental compartments to assess the ecological and economic consequences of a specific agricultural practice or a combination of these. The results show that manure acidification combined with air cleaners reduces NH3 emission and atmospheric nitrogen deposition with substantial positive effects on the terrestrial environment. Although manure acidification results in a slight increase in total nitrogen input into freshwater and marine ecosystems, the subsequent increase in chlorophyll a concentration and decrease in water transparency is insignificant. Hence, according to the model results, manure acidification will improve terrestrial nature quality, with no significant adverse effects on the aquatic environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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13 pages, 2933 KiB  
Article
Assessment of a Low-Cost Portable Device for Gas Concentration Monitoring in Livestock Housing
by Provvidenza Rita D’Urso, Claudia Arcidiacono and Giovanni Cascone
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010005 - 20 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1605
Abstract
The increasing regulatory pressure to monitor and reduce GHG emissions and air pollutants requires cost-effective methods for their surveillance. The most common techniques used for scientific investigations into gas concentration monitoring in barns are accurate but expensive and require complex maintenance. This research [...] Read more.
The increasing regulatory pressure to monitor and reduce GHG emissions and air pollutants requires cost-effective methods for their surveillance. The most common techniques used for scientific investigations into gas concentration monitoring in barns are accurate but expensive and require complex maintenance. This research study analyzed the potential use of low-cost portable measurement devices for the measurement of ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in an open dairy barn. A comparison between the gas concentrations acquired at different heights from the floor by using portable devices and those acquired by a photoacoustic infrared multigas spectroscope (i.e., reference measurement) in the same sampling locations was carried out to determine the precision of the low-cost portable devices. The performances of the low-cost portable devices were statistically analyzed by application of the one-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results showed a significant difference between the gas concentration values at various heights from the floor for both NH3 and CO2. The correlations between the concentrations acquired by the low-cost portable devices and the INNOVA were statistically significant (r = 0.83; p < 0.001) for gas concentrations monitored at 0.4 m from the floor. Compared with the reference measurement device, the low-cost devices were effective at the monitoring of NH3 concentrations at 0.40 m from the floor; however, they underestimated the concentrations in the barn at increasing heights from the floor, and the device was not adequate for CO2 concentrations. In detail, the relative measurement error of the low-cost devices compared to the INNOVA was reduced close to the floor during NH3 concentration measurements. Within these limitations, this device may be useful for monitoring the NH3 concentration in the barn and assessing variations in the NH3 concentrations mainly related to the animal occupied zone. Further efforts are needed in this field of research to identify a low-cost device that can simplify emission estimation from open dairy barns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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14 pages, 321 KiB  
Article
Mitigating Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Stored Pig Slurry Using Chemical Additives and Biochars
by José L. S. Pereira, Adelaide Perdigão, Francisco Marques, Dulcineia F. Wessel, Henrique Trindade and David Fangueiro
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2744; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112744 - 4 Nov 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2181
Abstract
Slurry storage is a significant source of NH3 and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The aim of this laboratory study was to assess the effects of different chemical additives and biochars on the emissions of NH3, N2O, CO2 [...] Read more.
Slurry storage is a significant source of NH3 and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The aim of this laboratory study was to assess the effects of different chemical additives and biochars on the emissions of NH3, N2O, CO2, and CH4 during the short-term storage of pig slurry. The experiment was performed using Kilner jars filled with raw slurry as control and six treatment additives (5% w/w): acidified slurry, alkalinized slurry, neutralized slurry, agroforestry biochar, cardoon biochar, and elderberry biochar. The gas emissions were measured for 30 days, and the composition of the slurries was determined. During short-term storage, the results of this laboratory study indicated that the NH3 emissions were reduced by 58% by acidification and by 20% by the biochars (Agroforestry, Cardoon, and Elderberry treatments), while neutralization reduced this loss by only 12%. Nitrous oxide emissions were not reduced by the chemical additives (Acidified, Alkalinized, and Neutralized treatments), while this loss was increased by 12% by the biochars. Carbon dioxide, CH4, and global warming potential emissions were not affected by the chemical additives and biochars. Furthermore, the absence of differences between the biochars may be related to their similar composition. Regarding the influence of the studied additives on NH3 losses, it can be concluded that acidification was the best mitigation measure and the biochars were quite similar due to their composition. Furthermore, neutralization had the advantage of sanitizing the slurry, but only had a mild impact on NH3 preservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
12 pages, 559 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of a Tomato Waste Biofilter for the Retention of Gaseous Losses from Pig Slurry Hygienization by pH Modification
by José L. S. Pereira, Adelaide Perdigão and David Fangueiro
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1838; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081838 - 3 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1899
Abstract
The use of pig slurry as organic fertilizer in intensive horticulture could be possible after hygienization to avoid contamination of products. This research aimed to evaluate a mixture of a tomato waste and rice husk as biofilter media to reduce NH3, [...] Read more.
The use of pig slurry as organic fertilizer in intensive horticulture could be possible after hygienization to avoid contamination of products. This research aimed to evaluate a mixture of a tomato waste and rice husk as biofilter media to reduce NH3, N2O, CO2, and CH4 losses from a simple and low-cost solution for slurry hygienization by pH modification. The experiment was made in a system of laboratory scale biofilters connected to jars filled with raw slurry as control and three treatment methods: acidified slurry, alkalinized slurry, and neutralized slurry. The gas concentrations were measured for 35 days, and the composition of slurries and biofilters were determined. The results of this study showed that the mixture of biofiltering media, composed of tomato waste and rice husk, has the potential to retain NH3 and greenhouse gases (GHG) from a simple and low-cost solution for slurry hygienization by pH modification. Compared to the treatment raw slurry biofilter, the treatment neutralized slurry biofilter, subjected to a combined treatment by alkalinization/neutralization, retained 19% NH3, 4% CO2, and 83% CH4 losses and had no impact on N2O and global warming potential. Thus, the use of tomato waste biofilter during alkalinization did not increase the loss of NH3 and reduced GHG compared to raw slurry, avoiding the subsequent neutralization of slurry for environmental reasons, and could be used as an organic fertilizer in horticulture. However, using the combined alkalinization/neutralization treatment will improve the fertilizer value of the slurry by adjusting the pH from 9.5 to 7.5. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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15 pages, 350 KiB  
Article
Effects of the Addition of Different Additives before Mechanical Separation of Pig Slurry on Composition and Gaseous Emissions
by José L. S. Pereira, Adelaide Perdigão, Ana Tavares, Maria E. F. Silva, Isabel Brás and Dulcineia F. Wessel
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1618; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071618 - 5 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2030
Abstract
The treatment of animal slurry is used to improve management on a farm scale. The aim of this laboratory study was to assess the effects of the addition of the additives biochar, alum and clinoptilolite before the mechanical separation of whole pig slurry [...] Read more.
The treatment of animal slurry is used to improve management on a farm scale. The aim of this laboratory study was to assess the effects of the addition of the additives biochar, alum and clinoptilolite before the mechanical separation of whole pig slurry (WS) on the characteristics and emission of NH3, N2O, CO2 and CH4 from solid (SF) and liquid fractions (LF). The additives were mixed with WS (5% w/w), followed by separation, in a total of 12 treatments with 3 replicates, including the controls and WS with additives. Gaseous emissions were measured for 30 d by a photoacoustic multigas monitor, and initial characteristics of the slurries were assessed. The results indicated that the separation of the WS modified the initial physicochemical characteristics and increased the GWP emissions of the SF and LF, but not the NH3 losses. However, the addition of additives before separation increased the nutrient value and reduced the GWP emissions from the SF and LF. Additionally, just the additive alum was effective in the reduction of E. coli. The additives led to significant reductions in NH3 and N2O emissions, with higher reductions in NH3 losses for alum (51% for NH3) and similar N2O losses for all additives (70% for N2O) observed, whereas the CO2 and CH4 emissions were reduced by biochar (25% for CO2 and 50% for CH4) and alum (33% for CO2 and 30% for CH4) but not by clinoptilolite. Although the additives had a positive effect on slurry management, it can be concluded that the addition of alum before mechanical separation has the potential to be the best mitigation measure because it improves the nutrient content and sanitation and decreases gaseous losses from slurry management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
23 pages, 1756 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Methane Emission Patterns from Dairy Housings with Solid and Slatted Floors at Two Locations
by Sabrina Hempel, David Janke, Bernd Losand, Kerstin Zeyer, Michael Zähner, Joachim Mohn, Thomas Amon and Sabine Schrade
Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020381 - 3 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2381
Abstract
Methane (CH4) emissions from dairy husbandry are a hot topic in the context of active climate protection, where housing systems with slatted floors and slurry storage inside are in general expected to emit more than systems with solid floors. There are [...] Read more.
Methane (CH4) emissions from dairy husbandry are a hot topic in the context of active climate protection, where housing systems with slatted floors and slurry storage inside are in general expected to emit more than systems with solid floors. There are multiple factors, including climate conditions, that modulate the emission pattern. In this study, we investigated interrelations between CH4 emission patterns and climate conditions as well as differences between farm locations versus floor effects. We considered three data sets with 265, 264 and 275 hourly emission values from two housing systems (one slatted, one solid floor) in Switzerland and one system with solid floors in Germany. Each data set incorporated measurements in summer, winter and a transition season. The average CH4 emission was highest for the slatted floor system. For the solid floor systems, CH4 emissions at the Swiss location were around 30% higher compared to the German location. The shape of the distributions for the two solid floor systems was rather similar but very different from the distribution for the slatted floor system, which showed higher prevalence for extreme emissions. Rank correlations, which measure the degree of similarity between two rankings in terms of linear relation, were not able to detect dependencies at the selected significance level. In contrast, mutual information, which measures more general statistical dependencies in terms of shared information, revealed highly significant dependencies for almost all variable pairs. The weakest statistical relation was found between winds speed and CH4 emission, but the convection regime was found to play a key role. Clustering was consistent among the three data sets with five typical clusters related to high/low temperature and wind speed, respectively, as well as in some cases to morning and evening hours. Our analysis showed that despite the disparate and often insignificant correlation between environmental variables and CH4 emission, there is a strong relation between both, which shapes the emission pattern in many aspects much more in addition to differences in the floor type. Although a clear distinction of high and low emission condition clusters based on the selected environmental variables was not possible, trends were clearly visible. Further research with larger data sets is advisable to verify the detected trends and enable prognoses for husbandry systems under different climate conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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14 pages, 2140 KiB  
Article
Livelihood Diversification Helps Herder Households on the Mongolian Plateau Reduce Emissions: A Case Study of a Typical Pastoral Area
by Zhidong Li and Moucheng Liu
Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020267 - 21 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1917
Abstract
Environmental issues caused by energy consumption have become increasingly prominent in recent years. In some ecologically vulnerable areas of developing countries, the negative environmental effects caused by farmers’ household energy consumption are closely related to the local (and even global) ecological environment and [...] Read more.
Environmental issues caused by energy consumption have become increasingly prominent in recent years. In some ecologically vulnerable areas of developing countries, the negative environmental effects caused by farmers’ household energy consumption are closely related to the local (and even global) ecological environment and human health. Taking a typical ecologically vulnerable area of the Mongolian Plateau as an example, we combined a regression model, energy popularity rate, and average energy consumption to explore the impact of livelihood diversification on herder households’ energy consumption structures. We also attempted to quantify the environmental effects of the energy transition in terms of greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. The findings show that the average consumption of livestock dung, gasoline, coal, liquefied gas, solar, and wind of livelihood diversification households (LDHs) is lower than that of pure herder households (PHHs), whereas the average consumption of electricity is higher than that of PHHs. As a result, the average emission of CO2 by LDHs is 5.14 t/a lower than that of PHHs. And compared with PHHs, the average emission reductions of air pollutants by LDHs are ranked as follows: CO: 153.20 kg/a, PM10: 36.56 kg/a (including PM2.5: 32.94 kg/a), VOCs: 12.47 kg/a, SO2: 3.14 kg/a, and NOx: 3.06 kg/a. Therefore, livelihood diversification can help herder households on the Mongolian Plateau reduce emissions through energy consumption transitions. Strengthening education (especially language education) can help herder households engage in livelihood diversification. This study provides a scientific means for ecologically vulnerable areas in developing countries to resolve conflicts between farming households’ energy consumption and the environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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13 pages, 1132 KiB  
Article
Slurry Acidification as a Solution to Minimize Ammonia Emissions from the Combined Application of Animal Manure and Synthetic Fertilizer in No-Tillage
by Arejacy A. Silva, David Fangueiro and Mario Carvalho
Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020265 - 20 Jan 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2997
Abstract
The combined application of manure/slurry and synthetic fertilizer (SF) might be a solution to decrease transport and application costs involving those by-products as well as enable access to them in regions where availability is low. Moreover, their joint application can potentially reduce environmental [...] Read more.
The combined application of manure/slurry and synthetic fertilizer (SF) might be a solution to decrease transport and application costs involving those by-products as well as enable access to them in regions where availability is low. Moreover, their joint application can potentially reduce environmental pollution, enlarge the manure benefits to more areas, and enhance the SF efficiency. However, such a strategy might result in increased ammonia emissions when applied to crop residues. Two experiments were implemented to assess ammonia emissions from stubble-covered soil fertilized with manure amended with SF. In Experiment 1 (E1), urea (U) and calcium ammonium nitrate (AN) were applied combined with dairy manure (MAN). In Experiment 2 (E2), urea was combined with acidified pig slurry (APS) and applied just after sowing (T0) or eight days later (T8). The combinations U + MAN and AN + MAN increased the ammonia emissions, while APS decreased the emissions from U, in APS + U combination, by more than 75%. Therefore, manure combined with SF applied on stubble-covered soil should not be recommended. T8 reduced ammonia emissions from U. APS enhanced the efficiency of U, being then an interesting strategy to mitigate ammonia emissions when applied on stubble-covered soil, as in no-tillage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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9 pages, 520 KiB  
Article
The Use of Natural Sorbents to Reduce Ammonia Emissions from Cattle Faeces
by Agnieszka Szymula, Łukasz Wlazło, Naďa Sasáková, Wioletta Wnuk and Bożena Nowakowicz-Dębek
Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2543; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11122543 - 15 Dec 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3385
Abstract
Intensification of animal production leads to an increase in ammonia emissions into the environment. For this reason, various methods and strategies are sought to reduce ammonia emissions from faeces. The aim of the study was to test the possibility of using natural sorbents [...] Read more.
Intensification of animal production leads to an increase in ammonia emissions into the environment. For this reason, various methods and strategies are sought to reduce ammonia emissions from faeces. The aim of the study was to test the possibility of using natural sorbents and sorbent mixtures to reduce ammonia emissions from cattle faeces. Faecal samples for analysis were collected from Holstein-Friesian dairy cows during the winter. The amount of ammonia emissions from cow faeces was determined every seven days, after mixing the faeces with a mixture of selected sorbents. All of the sorbents used have the potential to remove ammonia. The most effective reduction in ammonia was achieved using biochar and a mixture of bentonite with zeolite. The reduction in these groups was 42.56% and 24.56%, respectively, relative to the control group. The results indicate that these sorbents can be used to reduce ammonia emissions from cattle farms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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17 pages, 2601 KiB  
Article
One-Time Acidification of Slurry: What Is the Most Effective Acid and Treatment Strategy?
by Veronika Overmeyer, Anita Kube, Joachim Clemens, Wolfgang Büscher and Manfred Trimborn
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1319; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071319 - 28 Jun 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4440
Abstract
Acidification of slurry is a common practice to reduce ammonia and methane emissions. Sulfuric acid is usually used for this process. However, this has been criticized due to the high sulfur input into soils. Therefore, the objective of this study is to show [...] Read more.
Acidification of slurry is a common practice to reduce ammonia and methane emissions. Sulfuric acid is usually used for this process. However, this has been criticized due to the high sulfur input into soils. Therefore, the objective of this study is to show the effectiveness of a one-time acidification with alternative acids also in combination with other treatment strategies. The amount of acid as well as the change of pH value during storage were investigated. For most variants, a strong pH increase occurred within the first ten days after acidification. Mineral acids (sulfuric or hydrochloric acid) resulted in a lower pH increase compared to organic acids (lactic, acetic, and citric acid). Under anaerobic storage conditions, the pH remained significantly lower. The addition of glucose before acidification resulted in lower pH values during the first week, but in the long term, the conversion of glucose to carbonate led to higher pH values. A previous separation process was able to reduce the amount of acid. Although the pH increase was not that strong in the first days after acidification, it was much faster and stronger afterwards due to the lower buffer capacity in the separated slurry. A long-term pH reduction was achieved by acidification to pH 3.0, but this was associated with an increased amount of acid. On the basis of the results, a combination of organic acids with anaerobic storage can be recommended as an alternative to sulfuric acid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitigation of Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock Systems)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Iberian traditional pig production and its relation to economic and environmental performance
Authors: Javier García-Gudiño, José M. Perea, Maria Font-i-Furnols, Elena Angón, Florence Garcia-Launay and Isabel Blanco-Penedo
Affiliation: CICYTEX, UCO, IRTA, INRAE and SLU
Abstract: At present, Iberian pig production is diversified in the dehesa ecosystem. The aim of this paper was to identify different Iberian traditional farm typologies based on economic and environmental performance to increase the sustainability of these farms. Sixty-eight Iberian farms were analyzed through multivariate statistical tools to establish Iberian farm typologies. Factor analysis gave three factor components related to management, productivity and land yield that characterized the Iberian farms. Two groups of Iberian farms were determined: Multiple orientation and Montanera orientation. According to the results, Montanera farms generate lower environmental impacts and better economic benefits per unit of environmental impact. Analysis of the different farm types in Iberian traditional pig production had generated a practical guide aimed towards more sustainable Iberian pig production from an economic and environmental approach.

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