Ammonia loss from simulated post-collection storage of scraped and flushed dairy-cattle manure.

摘要

A series of laboratory scale studies were conducted, over a period of 23 d, to evaluate NH₃ losses from simulated storages of scraped manure and flushed manure on the basis of similar: (i) exposed-surface-area to volume ratio (ESAVR), and (ii) exposed-surface-area (ESA). Based on similar ESA; NH₃ flux during the 23-d study period from the storage of scraped manure ranged from 2.7 to 1.4 g m-2 d-1 compared to a range of 2.2 to 1.8 g m-2 d-1 from storage of flushed manure. This resulted in significantly higher total NH₃ loss from the storage of scraped manure (2034+or-107 mg) compared to that from the storage of flushed manure (1739+or-53 mg). Ammonia flux ranging from 5.9 to 2.4 g m-2 d-1 was observed from the storage of scraped manure with similar ESAVR to that of the flushed manure storage. In the latter case, however, the total NH₃ losses from either type of storage were not significantly different. The mean cumulative NH₃ lost from the simulated storages of flushed manure was 1739+or-53 mg, while the mean loss from the simulated storages of scraped manure was 1752+or-56 mg. The results from this study indicate that for geometric similar post-collection storages (i.e. similar ESA), flushing manure mitigates NH₃ emissions more than scraping manure, during post-collection storages: at least within the initial 23-d storage duration simulated in this study. In contrast, however, there was no indication of any advantage of using one system over the other if the post-collection storages were based on similar ESAVRs.