Managing ammonia emissions from livestock production in Europe

Around 75% of European ammonia (NH(3)) emissions come from livestock production. Emissions occur at all stages of manure management: from buildings housing livestock; during manure storage; following manure application to land; and from urine deposited by livestock on pastures during grazing. Ammoniacal nitrogen (total ammoniacal-nitrogen, TAN) in livestock excreta is the main source of NH(3). At each stage of manure management TAN may be lost, mainly as NH(3), and the remainder passed to the next stage. Hence, measures to reduce NH(3) emissions at the various stages of manure management are interdependent, and the accumulative reduction achieved by combinations of measures is not simply additive. This TAN-flow concept enables rapid and easy estimation of the consequences of NH(3) abatement at one stage of manure management (upstream) on NH(3) emissions at later stages (downstream), and gives unbiased assessment of the most cost-effective measures. We conclude that rapid incorporation of manures into arable land is one of the most cost-effective measures to reduce NH(3) emissions, while covering manure stores and applying slurry by band spreader or injection are more cost-effective than measures to reduce emissions from buildings. These measures are likely to rank highly in most European countries.     

Spatial and temporal trend of Chinese manure nutrient pollution and assimilation capacity of cropland and grassland

Dynamics of livestock and poultry manure nutrient was analyzed at a provincial scale from 2002 to 2008. The nutrient capacity of 18 kinds of croplands and grasslands to assimilate nutrients was assessed in the same temporal–spatial scale. Manure nitrogen (N) had increased from 5.111 to 6.228 million tons (MT), while manure phosphorus (P) increased from 1.382 to 1.607 MT. Manure N and P share similar spatial patterns of yields, but proportion of specialized livestock husbandry and contribution of leading livestock categories (swine, cattle, cow, sheep, layer chicken, broiler chicken) were different. The nutrients generated from dominant seven provinces took more than about half of total manure N in China. After subtracting the chemical fertilizers, there were some manure nutrient capacities in western part of China. Risk analysis of manure nutrient pollution overload in eastern and southern parts of China was serious, which should restrict livestock's developments. Amount of chemical fertilizers applied should be reduced to make room for manure nutrients. For the sake of greenhouse effects, the emission of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (NO _x ) emissions in China is serious for the global change, thus merits further statistics and studies. The spatial and temporal pattern of Chinese manure nutrient pollution from livestock and the assimilation capacity of cropland and grassland can provide useful information for policy development on Chinese soil environment and livestock.     

Measurement of ammonia volatilization from a field,in upland Japan,spread with cattle slurry

Ammonia volatilization from livestock manure is one of the most important pathways of nitrogen loss from agricultural cultivated fields. In this paper, we report the measurement of ammonia emission from cattle slurry manure applied to upland in Miyazaki, Japan. It has been determined that after the cattle slurry was sprayed on the upland surface, the emission flux of the first day was 110 microg N ha(-1) s(-1). The loss of NH4(+) -N in the applied slurry was 60% after 5 days following the spraying of cattle slurry.     

不同氮源对常中温条件下麦秆厌氧发酵的影响

通过自行设计的厌氧发酵装置,研究不同氮源对常温（20℃）和中温（35℃）条件下麦秆厌氧发酵的影响。结果表明,在常温和中温条件下进行麦秆沼气厌氧发酵时,适量添加外部氮源可加快产气速率,增加产气量,缩短产气停滞时间,其中添加牛粪效果最好,分别在182 d和84 d时发酵完全,总累积产气3 486.80 mL和4 210.70 mL,干物质累积产气量为217.93 mL/g和263.17 mL/g,且在实验期间未出现产气停滞。添加尿素处理次之,分别在累积产气215.70 mL和238.00 mL时进入61 d和20 d的产气停滞期,在196 d和143 d时发酵完全,在实验结束时,累积产气2 784.20 mL和3 454.00 mL,干物质累积产气量为174.01 mL/g和215.88 mL/g。可见,在以秸秆为原料的沼气发酵过程中,可通过添加适量的外部氮源和提高发酵温度来提高沼气产量,而且在条件允许的情况下,应尽量添加畜禽粪便等有机氮源。     

Pollution characteristics and environmental risk assessment of typical veterinary antibiotics in livestock farms in Southeastern China

Scientific interest in pollution from antibiotics in animal husbandry has increased during recent years. However, there have been few studies on the vertical exposure characteristics of typical veterinary antibiotics in different exposure matrices from different livestock farms. This study explores the distribution and migration of antibiotics from feed to manure, from manure to soil, and from soil to vegetables, by investigating the exposure level of typical antibiotics in feed, manure, soil, vegetables, water, fish, and pork in livestock farms. A screening environmental risk assessment was conducted to identify the hazardous potential of veterinary antibiotics from livestock farms in southeast China. The results show that adding antibiotics to drinking water as well as the excessive use of antibiotic feed additives may become the major source of antibiotics pollution in livestock farms. Physical and chemical properties significantly affect the distribution and migration of various antibiotics from manure to soil and from soil to plant. Simple migration models can predict the accumulation of antibiotics in soil and plants. The environmental risk assessment results show that more attention should be paid to the terrestrial eco-risk of sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlorotetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin, and to the aquatic eco-risk of chlorotetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin. This is the first systematic analysis of the vertical pollution characteristics of typical veterinary antibiotics in livestock farms in southeast China. It also identifies the ecological and human health risk of veterinary antibiotics.     

Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in China: Causes and Mitigation Measures

Non-point source (NPS) pollution has been increasingly serious in China since the 1990s. The increases of agricultural NPS pollution in China is evaluated for the period 2000-2008 by surveying the literature on water and soil pollution from fertilizers and pesticides, and assessing the surplus nitrogen balance within provinces. The main causes for NPS pollution were excessive inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides, which were partly the result of the inadequate agricultural extension services and the rapid expansion of intensive livestock production with little of waste management. The annual application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides in China increased by 50.7 and 119.7%, respectively, during 1991-2008. The mitigation measures to reduce NPS pollution include: correct distortion in fertilizer prices; improve incentives for the recycling of organic manure; provide farmers with better information on the sound use of agro-chemicals; and tighten the regulations and national standards on organic waste disposal and pesticides use.     

Practical survey on antibiotic-resistant bacterial communities in livestock manure and manure-amended soil

Through livestock manure fertilization, antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes are transferred to agricultural soils, resulting in a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the soil. It is not clear, however, whether a correlation exists between resistant bacterial populations in manure and manure-amended soil. In this work, we demonstrate that the prevalence of cephalexin-, amoxicillin-, kanamycin- and gentamicin-resistant bacteria as well as bacteria simultaneously resistant to all four antibiotics was much higher in manure-amended soils than in manure-free soil. 454-pyrosequencing indicated that the ARB and multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MARB) in swine or chicken manure and manure-amended soil were mainly distributed among Sphingobacterium, Myroides, Enterococcus, Comamonas and unclassified Flavobacteriaceae. The genus Sphingobacterium was highly prevalent among ARB from swine manure and manure-amended soil, and was also the most dominant genus among MARB from chicken manure and manure-amended soil. Other dominant genera among ARB or MARB populations in manure samples, including Myroides, Enterococcus and Comamonas, could not be detected or were detected at very low relative abundance in manure-amended soil. The present study suggests the possibility of transfer of ARBs from livestock manures to soils and persistence of ARB in these environments.     

Pollution characteristics of 23 veterinary antibiotics in livestock manure and manure-amended soils in Jiangsu province,China

The aim of this study was to investigate the pollution characteristics of typical veterinary antibiotics in manure and soil of livestock farms in Jiangsu province. This investigation employed solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). A total of 53 manure and 50 amended soil samples from 16 livestock farms in Jiangsu province were collected for analysis. In the manure samples, the highest detected frequencies and concentrations were those of tetracyclines (TCs, 54.1 ± 5775.6 μgkg^?1), followed by fluoroquinolones (FQs, 8.4 ± 435.6 μgkg^?1), sulphonamides (SAs, 3.2 ± 5.2 μgkg^?1) and macrolides (MACs, 0.4 ± 110.5 μgkg^?1). Statistical analysis was used to illuminate the pollution characteristics of 23 veterinary antibiotics for various animal types and different regions in Jiangsu province. The results showed that the pollution level in cow manure was relatively lower compared with pig and chicken manure due to the relative restriction of medication. Furthermore, contamination was serious in amended soil from chicken farms. The pollution level in manure among different regions was higher to the south and north compared with the centre of the region. The same outcome was found for soil. Antibiotic residues in organic fertilizer were also investigated in this study. We found that although the detected concentration was lower in organic fertilizer than in fresh manure, detection frequencies (10–90%) were high, especially for roxithromycin (90%) in MACs (30–90%). This finding suggests attention should be paid to the pollution levels in organic fertilizer. This study is the first extensive investigation of the occurrence and distribution of many kinds of typical veterinary antibiotics in manure and soil from livestock farms of Jiangsu province. This investigation systematically assesses veterinary antibiotics usage and related emissions in southeast China.     

Copper and Zn uptake by radish and pakchoi as affected by application of livestock and poultry manures

Environmental safety of agricultural utilization of livestock and poultry manures from intensive farming is attracting great attention because the manures often contain high concentrations of heavy metals and organic pollutants. Pot experiments, in which a pig manure (PM), a chicken manure (CM) and a commercial organic manure (OM) with different concentrations of Cu and Zn to simulate soil metal accumulation by manure application for different times were utilized in a garden soil at a rate of 2% (W/W), were conducted to study the effect of application of these livestock and poultry manures on growth of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) as well as their Cu and Zn uptake. The results exhibit that the manures except the PM improved the growth of radish and pakchoi. The difference of biomass among the same manure treatments containing different concentrations of Cu and Zn, however, was insignificant. In addition, application of the livestock and poultry manures significantly increased soil pHs and electric conductivities (EC) compared with the control, which is ascribed that these manures had high pH and contained large amounts of inorganic ions. The available soil Zn concentrations in the PM were higher than that in the CM and OM, and the extractable soil Cu concentrations in the three manures were almost the same after radish growth in the garden soil but were different after pakchoi growth. Zinc and Cu concentrations in the radish and pakchoi tissues increased when the soil Zn and Cu concentrations increased by manures application, but were still within a safe value. An except is the treatment PM4 in which the Zn concentration of the above-ground part of radish was 28.7 mg kg-1, exceeding the Chinese Food Hygiene Standard of 20 mg kg-1 based on fresh weight. Good correlation was obtained between the extractable soil Zn (or Cu) concentrations extracted by 1.0 mol l-1 NH4NO3 and the Zn (or Cu) concentrations in radish and pakchoi tissues, which was expected to be effective in forecasting Cu and Zn availability to radish and pakchoi in manure agronomic utilization.     

Biohydrogen production from dairy manures with acidification pretreatment by anaerobic fermentation

Background, aim, and scope  

Hydrogen is a clean and efficient energy source and has been deemed as one of the most promising carriers of new energy for the future. From an engineering point of view, producing hydrogen by mixed cultures is generally preferred because of lower cost, ease of control, and the possible use of organic waste as feedstock. The biological hydrogen production has been intensively studied in recent decades. So far, most investigates of biohydrogen production are still confined to using pure carbohydrates and carbohydrate-rich wastewater. Nowadays, the large amounts of livestock manure, which come from cattle feedlots, poultry, and swine buildings, are causing a major environmental issue because it has become a primary source of odors, gases, dust, and groundwater contamination. The increasingly stringent requirements for pollution control on livestock manures are challenging the scientific community to develop new waste treatment strategies. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop nonpolluting and renewable energy source utilizing the organic waste (e.g., livestock manure). It is well known that anaerobic digestion had successfully been used for the disposal of manures to produce methane in the last two decades. Recently, an alternative strategy has been developed to convert livestock manures (e.g., dairy manures) to biohydrogen as a high value-added clean energy source instead of methane. However, little information is available on hydrogen production from dairy manure via the mixed anaerobic microbe. As far as we know, the hydrogen production is habitually accompanied with production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), such as acetate, butyrate, and propionate, which are also an optimal feedstock for production of methane by anaerobic digestion. Provided that the biohydrogen production from dairy manure is further combined with the anaerobic digestion of the effluent from the producing hydrogen reactor that would be a one-stone two-bird paradigm, it not only produces a clean and readily usable biologic energy but also cleans up simultaneously the environment in a sustainable fashion.     

Management options to limit nitrate leaching from grassland

Nitrate leaching can be reduced by the adoption of less intensive grassland systems which, though requiring a greater land area to achieve the same agricultural output, result in less nitrate leaching per unit of production than do intensively managed grasslands. The economic penalties associated with reductions in output can be partly offset by greater reliance on symbiotic nitrogen fixation and the use of clover-based swards in place of synthetic N fertilisers. Alternatively, specific measures can be adopted to improve the efficiency of nitrogen use in intensively managed systems in order to maintain high outputs but with reduced losses. Controls should take account of other forms of loss and flows of nitrogen between grassland and other components of the whole-farm system and, in most instances, should result in an overall reduction in nitrogen inputs. Removing stock from the fields earlier in the grazing season will reduce the accumulation of high concentrations of potentially leachable nitrate in the soil of grazed pastures but will increase the quantity of manure produced by housed animals and the need to recycle this effectively. Supplementing grass diets with low-nitrogen forages such as maize silage will reduce the quantity of nitrogen excreted by livestock but may increase the potential for nitrate leaching elsewhere on the farm if changes to cropping patterns involve more frequent cultivation of grassland. Improved utilisation by the sward of nitrogen in animal excreta and manures and released by mineralisation of soil organic matter will permit equivalent reductions to be made in fertiliser inputs, provided that adequate information is available about the supply of nitrogen from these non-fertiliser sources.     

牛粪与小麦秸秆混合高温堆肥的腐熟进程研究

通过研究牛粪与小麦秸秆混合高温堆肥的腐熟进程,寻求最佳的堆肥体积比,旨在为农业废弃物快速资源化利用提供科学依据。将牛粪与小麦秸秆分别按体积比10∶0、8∶2、6∶4、4∶6、2∶8混合,高温堆肥64d,研究各种处理下堆肥进程。结果表明,与纯牛粪高温堆肥相比,添加小麦秸秆可以加快堆肥升温速度,抑制高温堆肥前期pH的升高和氨气挥发,减少氮素损失,加速堆肥内有毒有害物质分解,加快C/N降低速率。其中牛粪和小麦秸秆以6∶4的体积比混合高温堆肥时效果最好,堆肥结束时有机质和速效氮下降幅度最小,分别为31.84%和18.18%,全氮、全磷、全钾、速效磷和速效钾的提高幅度最大,分别为15.86%、13.64%、9.42%、22.73%和29.30%。若以种子发芽指数80%作为堆肥腐熟的评价指标,牛粪和小麦秸秆按6∶4体积比混合高温堆肥43d即可腐熟,比纯牛粪腐熟提前了12d。综合判断,实际应用中牛粪与小麦秸秆按6∶4体积比进行高温堆肥较为适宜。     

Estimating the potential for ammonia emissions from livestock excreta and manures

This paper reports a desk study to quantify the total-nitrogen (N) and ammoniacal-N contents of livestock excreta, and to compare them with estimates of N losses to the environment from that excreta. Inventories of ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O), dinitrogen (N2), and nitric oxide emissions (NO), together with estimates of nitrate (NO3-) leaching and crop N uptake were collated. A balance sheet was constructed to determine whether our estimates of N in livestock excreta were consistent with current estimates of N losses and crop N uptake from that N, or whether emissions of N compounds from livestock excreta may have been underestimated. Total N excretion by livestock in England and Wales (E&W) was estimated as 767-816 x 10(3) t of which 487-518 x 10(3) t was estimated to be total ammoniacal-N (TAN). Estimates of NH3 and N2O losses during housing and storage were derived from the difference between the total amount of TAN in excreta deposited in and around buildings, and the total amount of TAN in manure (i.e. the excreta deposited in and around buildings after collection and storage) prior to spreading and were ca. 64-88 x 10(3) t. The NH3-N emission from livestock buildings and manure storage in E&W quoted in the UK Emission Inventory (Pain et al., 1999. Inventory of Ammonia Emission from UK Agriculture, 1977. Report of MAFF contract WAO630, IGER, North Wyke) is ca. 80 x 10(3) t. Losses from NO3- leaching in the season after manure application and grazing were estimated as 73 and 32 x 10(3) t, respectively. Other gaseous losses of N were estimated as ca. 54 x 10(3) t. Crop uptake of manure N was estimated to be between 7 and 24 x 10(3) t. For manures, estimated N losses, immobilization and crop uptake total 326 x 10(3) t compared with estimates of 293-319 x 10(3) t TAN in excreta. Total N losses and crop uptake from TAN deposited at grazing were estimated to be 179-199 x 10(3) t compared with ca. 224 x 10(3) t TAN excreted. Thus all the TAN in manures appears to be accounted for, but ca. 25-45 x 10(3) t of TAN in urine deposited at grazing were not, and could be an underestimated source of gaseous emission or nitrate leaching.     

Semifield assessment of the runoff potential and environmental risk of the parasiticide drug ivermectin under Mediterranean conditions

Introduction  

The antiparasitic ivermectin is of particular concern to regulatory agencies. Ivermectin can reach the environment through the direct emission of dung from livestock on pasture and via manure application on agricultural lands.     

Ammonia volatilization loss from surface applied livestock manure

Ammonia (NH₃) emission from livestock manures used in agriculture reduces N uptake by crops and negatively impacts air quality. This laboratory study was conducted to evaluate NH₃emission from different livestock manures applied to two soils: Candler fins sand (CFS; light-textured soil, pH 6.8 and field capacity soil water content of 70 g kg^{? 1}) from Lake Alfred, Florida and Ogeechee loamy sand (OLS; medium-textured soil, pH 5.2 and field capacity soil water content of 140 g kg^{? 1}) from Savannah, Georgia. Poultry litter (PL) collected from a poultry farm near Douglas, Georgia, and fresh solid separate of swine manure (SM) collected from a farm near Clinton, North Carolina were used. Each of the soil was weighed in 100 g sub samples and amended with either PL or SM at rates equivalent to either 0, 2.24, 5.60, 11.20, or 22.40 Mg ha^{? 1} in 1L Mason jars and incubated in the laboratory at field capacity soil water content for 19 days to monitor NH₃ volatilization. Results indicated a greater NH₃ loss from soils amended with SM compared to that with PL. The cumulative NH₃volatilization loss over 19 days ranged from 4 to 27% and 14 to 32% of total N applied as PL and SM, respectively. Volatilization of NH₃ was greater from light-textured CFS than that from medium-textured OLS. Volatilization loss increased with increasing rates of manure application. Ammonia volatilization was lower at night time than that during the day time. Differences in major factors such as soil water content, temperature, soil type and live stock manure type influenced the diurnal variation in volatilization loss of NH₃ from soils. A significant portion (> 50%) of cumulative NH₃ emission over 19 d occurred during the first 5–7 d following the application of livestock manures. Results of this study demonstrate that application of low rates of livestock manure (≤ 5.60 Mg ha^{? 1}) is recommended to minimize NH₃ emissions.     

Ammonium-nitrogen transformation and nitrogen retention in broiler manure supplemented with a soil amendment containing nitrifying bacteria

The effect of a soil amendment on ammonium nitrogen transformation and nitrogen retention in broiler manure was evaluated. Prior to incubation, broiler manure was mixed with autoclaved soil or non-autoclaved soil in different ratios to make 1 kg mixtures; broiler manure:non-autoclaved soil=9:1, 5:5, and 1:9 or broiler manure:autoclaved soil=9:1, 5:5, and 1:9. The non-autoclaved soil treatment reduced either numerically or significantly NH(4)(+)-N concentration compared to the autoclaved soil treatment during the 8-wk incubation. Total-N concentration of the non-autoclaved soil treatments was lower than the autoclaved soil treatments from 4 to 8 wk. The lowest manure to non-autoclaved soil treatment (M:S=1:9) had considerably more nitrite and nitrate; however, the higher ratio manure to non-autoclaved soil treatments (M:S=9:1 and 5:5) had slightly higher total nitrite and nitrate levels compared to the same ratio of autoclaved soil treatments. The moisture level of the 9:1, 5:5, and 1:9 M:S treatments were approximately 70, 45, and 30%, respectively. The results indicated that nitrifying bacteria in the non-autoclaved soil reduced the ammonium nitrogen concentrations of poultry manure by converting NH(3) or NH(4)(+) to NO(2)(-) or NO(3)(-). However, the higher moisture levels in treatments with greater manure to soil ratios (M:S=9:1 and 5:5) created anaerobic conditions that allowed for denitrification and greater N losses.     

添加小麦秸秆对猪粪高温堆肥腐熟进程的影响

选用猪粪与小麦秸秆为堆肥原料进行高温好氧堆肥实验,研究添加小麦秸秆对猪粪高温好氧堆肥过程中堆体温度、pH值、种子发芽指数、碳氮比和养分等理化指标的影响,寻求猪粪高温堆肥时的最佳秸秆配比,旨在为猪粪快速资源化利用提供科学依据。结果表明,猪粪高温堆肥时添加小麦秸秆可以缩短进入高温发酵阶段的时间,减少氮素损失,加快C/N的降低速率,加速有毒有害物质分解。其中猪粪和小麦秸秆6∶4处理各层温度在2~5 d内上升至50℃,并持续37~46 d,在堆肥结束时,有机质和速效氮含量较堆肥初期下降幅度最小,分别为33.90%和23.76%,全氮、全磷、全钾、速效磷和速效钾含量较堆肥初期提高幅度最大,分别为13.34%、20.24%、53.19%、41.53%和16.57%。若以种子发芽指数80%作为堆肥腐熟的评价指标,猪粪和小麦秸秆6∶4配比堆肥的腐熟速度比纯猪粪快18 d,36 d即可腐熟。综合判断,实际应用中,猪粪与小麦秸秆按体积6∶4进行堆肥较为适宜。     

Residues of pharmaceutical products in recycled organic manure produced from sewage sludge and solid waste from livestock and relationship to their fermentation level

In recent years, sludge generated in sewage treatment plants (STPs) and solid waste from livestock being utilized is useful for circulation of nourishment in farmlands as recycled organic manure (ROM). In this study, we determined the residue levels and patterns of 12 pharmaceutical products generated by human activity in the ROMs produced from human waste sludge (HWS), sewage sludge (SS), cattle manure (CM), poultry manure (PM), swine manure (SM) and horse manure (HM).The kind and number of pharmaceutical products detected in ROMs were different. Fluoroquinolones (FQs) were detected at high levels in HWS and SS samples. In addition, the detection frequency and concentration levels of sulfonamides (SAs) in PM and SM were high. Moreover, high concentrations of chlortetracycline (CTC) were found in only SM. These differences reflect specific adherence adsorption of the pharmaceutical products to different livestock and humans. Moreover, it was found that the concentrations of pharmaceutical products and fermentation levels of ROMs had significant positive correlation (r = 0.41, p = 0.024).When the fermentation test of ROM was conducted in a rotary fermentor in a lab scale test, the residue levels of pharmaceutical products decreased effectively except carbamazepine (CBZ). The rates of decrease were in the case of tetracyclines (TCs): 85-92%, FQs: 81-100%, erythromycine: 67%, SAs: 79-95%, trimethoprim: 86% and CBZ: 37% by 30 d. Pharmaceutical products that can be decomposed by fermentation process at the lowest impact of residual antibiotic activities may therefore be considered as environmentally friendly medicines.     

A UK inventory of nitrous oxide emissions from farmed livestock

A UK inventory of the nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from farmed livestock was compiled to identify areas where potential abatement practices may be effective. Where possible, emission factors based on direct experimental data gathered under UK conditions were used, but published data were used when this was not feasible, together with statistical information, which included details of numbers of animals within each category of a species, animal liveweights, number of days housed, excretal rates and volumes of manures in stores. Total N₂O emissions were calculated for each component of livestock production systems, i.e. animal houses, manure stores, following application of manures to land and during grazing. Emissions were also estimated from land used for forage conservation and tillage. Total annual N₂O emissions from UK farmed livestock, based mainly on 1996 animal census data, were estimated to be 38.27 kt. The two main terms were 22.66 kt N₂O from mineral fertilisers after application to soils and 5.61 kt N₂O from stored manures (mainly in the form of farmyard manure). Within buildings, poultry were the largest contributors of N₂O, 2.97 kt, followed by cattle, 1.62 kt. Within the total emissions from stored manures, cattle were the largest contributors of N₂O, 3.58 kt, followed by poultry, 1.86 kt. Dietary manipulation and a move from solid manure based systems to slurry based systems appear to be promising abatement practices.     

Alterations in soil microbial activity and N-transformation processes due to sulfadiazine loads in pig-manure

Most veterinary drugs enter the environment via manure application. However, it is unclear how these substances interact with soil biota. Therefore, it was the aim of the present study to investigate the effects of manure containing different concentrations of the antibiotic sulfadiazine (SDZ) on the soil microbial communities. It was shown that manure alone has a stimulating effect on microbial activity. Only potential nitrification was negatively influenced by manure application. The addition of SDZ to the manure reduced microbial activity. Depending on the SDZ concentration, levels of activity were in the range of the control soil without manure application. Also, selected processes in nitrogen turnover were negatively influenced by the addition of SDZ to the manure, with nitrification being the only exception. The effects were visible for up to 4 days after application of the manure with or without SDZ and were correlated with the bioavailability of the antibiotic.