Communicative diagnosis of cost-saving options for reducing nitrogen emission from pig finishing

Reducing nitrogen emission from livestock production is usually perceived as costly. Nevertheless, production process related measures addressing the transformation of input(s) into output(s) may result in a cost-saving reduction of nitrogen emission. This paper explores the separate and combined use of traditional key performance indicators and an environmentally adjusted Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to reveal firm-specific cost-saving mechanisms for pig-finishing farms. Traditional key performance indicators are easy to communicate but have shortcomings when assessing benchmarks for comparative farm analysis. The environmentally adjusted DEA decomposes both cost and environmental efficiencies into technical and allocative efficiency components, separating the physical production analysis from price and nutrient content information. DEA makes efficiency benchmarks and improvement paths explicit, but the practical value of such efficiency scores is low. This paper proposes to take advantage of both methods: concrete benchmarks and eligible improvement paths are assessed using frontier methods, while the decision variables that steer farmers towards changes are described in terms of traditional key performance indicators. This leads to an improved diagnosis that is easy to communicate to farmers and may therefore facilitate decision support. Our pig-finishing case study shows that farms can achieve economic-environmental win–win situations through improving technical, cost allocative and cost efficiencies, which are mainly driven by feed conversion. Less technical efficient farms are found to require a lower delivery weight in order to minimize costs, which shows the farm-specificity of economic-environmental improvement advice.     

Technical- and Environmental-Efficiency Analysis of Irrigated Cotton-Cropping Systems in Punjab,Pakistan Using Data Envelopment Analysis

Cotton cropping in Pakistan uses substantial quantities of resources and adversely affects the environment with pollutants from the inputs, particularly pesticides. A question remains regarding to what extent the reduction of such environmental impact is possible without compromising the farmers’ income. This paper investigates the environmental, technical, and economic performances of selected irrigated cotton-cropping systems in Punjab to quantify the sustainability of cotton farming and reveal options for improvement. Using mostly primary data, our study quantifies the technical, cost, and environmental efficiencies of different farm sizes. A set of indicators has been computed to reflect these three domains of efficiency using the data envelopment analysis technique. The results indicate that farmers are broadly environmentally inefficient; which primarily results from poor technical inefficiency. Based on an improved input mix, the average potential environmental impact reduction for small, medium, and large farms is 9, 13, and 11 %, respectively, without compromising the economic return. Moreover, the differences in technical, cost, and environmental efficiencies between small and medium and small and large farm sizes were statistically significant. The second-stage regression analysis identifies that the entire farm size significantly affects the efficiencies, whereas exposure to extension and training has positive effects, and the sowing methods significantly affect the technical and environmental efficiencies. Paradoxically, the formal education level is determined to affect the efficiencies negatively. This paper discusses policy interventions that can improve the technical efficiency to ultimately increase the environmental efficiency and reduce the farmers’ operating costs.     

Agricultural Productivity Changes Induced by the Sloping Land Conversion Program: An Analysis of Wuqi County in the Loess Plateau Region

This paper examines the agricultural productivity change induced by the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) using the Malmquist index method and household data collected from Wuqi. We find that during the period of 1998–2004, the total factor productivity (TFP) grew by 15.8%. While numerous households suffered a TFP decline, the majority of them experienced a large gain. By decomposing the TFP, we further show that its increase is due exclusively to the improvement of technical efficiency rather than to technological change. To validate these findings and put them in perspective, we also estimated the TFP change with county-level aggregate data. It is revealed that driven by technological change and scale efficiency, the TFP grew slightly during the period of 1992–1998. Because of the tremendous cropland reduction and production mode shift caused by implementing the SLCP, the TFP declined substantially during the first three years of the program; due to continued improvement of technical efficiency; however, its growth accelerated later. Altogether, our evidence consistently suggests that implementing the SLCP has contributed to the agricultural TFP growth in the longer term and that the efficiency improvement has resulted mainly from the increased public expenditures for extension services and diffusion of technical knowledge. Wuqi’s experience proves that it is possible to achieve environmental conservation and increase productivity simultaneously, even when facing a cropland reduction and production mode alternation.     

Integrated soil-crop system management: reducing environmental risk while increasing crop productivity and improving nutrient use efficiency in China

During the past 47 yr (1961-2007), Chinese cereal production has increased by 3.2-fold, successfully feeding 22% of the global human population with only 9% of the world's arable land, but at high environmental cost and resource consumption. Worse, crop production has been stagnant since 1996 while the population and demand for food continue to rise. New advances for sustainability of agriculture and ecosystem services will be needed during the coming 50 yr to reduce environmental risk while increasing crop productivity and improving nutrient use efficiency. Here, we advocate and develop integrated soil-crop system management (ISSM). In this approach, the key points are (i) to take all possible soil quality improvement measures into consideration, (ii) to integrate the utilization of various nutrient resources and match nutrient supply to crop requirements, and (iii) to integrate soil and nutrient management with high-yielding cultivation systems. Recent field experiments have shed light on how ISSM can lead to significant increases in crop yields while increasing nutrient use efficiency and reducing environmental risk.     

Land-use intensification and environmental degradation: empirical evidence from irrigated and rain-fed farms in south eastern Nigeria

When evaluating the potential of irrigation for agricultural production one must consider more than the technical and financial potential and feasibility of the scheme. Issues of environmental and social sustainability must also be considered. The purpose of the paper is to develop a framework for assessing the sustainability of an irrigation scheme and apply it in the context of one such scheme in south eastern Nigeria. The framework for assessment is based on a comparison of differential changes in environmental quality with and without the scheme, and before and after the scheme. The author does this by using measured soil characteristics for irrigated and adjacent rain-fed plots of agricultural land; and socio-economic analysis of other environmental and social impacts of the irrigation scheme. Data were collected through a field survey of the selected irrigated and rain-fed farm plots, qualitative interviews with the farm owners and relevant secondary sources. The analyses find that the soils of the irrigated farms have been significantly degraded more than those of the rain-fed farms to the extent that precludes sustainable practice of arable agriculture on irrigated land in the study area. About 9% of the soils of the irrigated land have been degraded to the extent that they are no longer suitable for arable agriculture. Analyses of the qualitative interviews also find other bio-physical, social and economic impacts that significantly constrain long-term sustainability of arable agriculture in the study area.     

Landscape and Agricultural Patterns in Rural Areas: a Case Study in the Brionne Basin, Normandy, France

Landscape changes over a period of 25 years were assessed for a catchment basin in Normandy, France. Landscape attributes, i.e. land use, land cover and natural habitat, were obtained from aerial photographs (1964, 1989) and soil maps, to define a landscape typology. Data were aggregated on a 500 m×500 m grid system and treated by multivariate analysis. Results of these analysis show that this rural landscape has undergone changes in landcover (mainly grassland receding to crop) as well as changes in spatial structure (mainly increase of plot size and uniformisation). These changes were related to a typology of farms (realised by multivariate analysis of a field survey on the 38 registered farms of the site). Results suggest that (i) farms with a narrow range of production, i.e. specialised farms, are located on a narrow range of environmental conditions and are associated with stable landscapes, while (ii) farms with a broader range of production (i.e. polyculture) are distributed more widely throughout the landscape, and are mostly associated with the landscape changes.     

The potential of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) in Africa

Pigeonpea is a tropical grain legume grown mainly in India. Though largely considered an orphan crop, pigeonpea has a huge untapped potential for improvement both in quantity and quality of production in Africa. More than any other legume adapted to the region, pigeonpea uniquely combines optimal nutritional profiles, high tolerance to environmental stresses, high biomass productivity and most nutrient and moisture contributions to the soil. The legume can be utilized in several diverse ways while the high genetic variability that exists within the cultivated and wild relatives remains to be explored for further uses. This article highlights the need for popularizing pigeonpea as a major legume crop in Africa. The main constraints to productivity are discussed and recent breeding efforts in Africa highlighted. Important opportunities for improvement are further provided.     

Veterinary drugs in groundwater in a dairy region of central Argentina and risk assessment for human health

Veterinary drugs used in dairy production are potential contaminants of surface or groundwater sources, being able to affect human and environmental health. It is known that chronic exposure to antibiotics in low concentrations present in water can generate microbial resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of veterinary drugs in 53 groundwater samples used for animal and human consumption, collected in dairy milking parlors, in an important milk-producing area of central Argentina, and to assess the risk to human health when they are used as drinking water. In 75% of the total samples analyzed, at least one veterinary drug was detected. The most frequently found drugs in water samples were the antibiotics tetracycline in 58.5% and oxytetracycline in 56.6%, and an anti-inflammatory, flunixin in 39.6%. In the water samples, the tetracycline and oxytetracycline concentrations were between 0.1 and 5.3 μg/L and flunixin concentrations were between 0.01 and 2.1 μg/L. The frequency of appearance and the concentration levels of the substances found in the water samples were evaluated according to the productivity, size, and production system (confined or pasture) of the dairy farms. Higher concentrations and proportions of water samples containing antibiotics were observed when the number of animals per dairy farm was >182 and when the productivity was high (>25 liters per animal per day). In the case of flunixin, the percentage of detection was similar in all evaluated categories. The risk assessment for children and adults, considering the intake of drinking water containing residues of these drugs, did not indicate a significant health risk. It would be advisable to evaluate other sources of drinking water, both surface and underground, in other regions of the country, to provide data to assess the impact of these substances and the other contaminants on environmental and human health.     

Perception of the environmental impacts of current and alternative modes of pig production by stakeholder groups

The current industrial pig production model is in crisis, due to its association with environmental pollution, doubtful product quality and lack of animal well-being. In Bretagne (France), a region of intensive pig production, a survey of seven stakeholder groups concerned with pig production was conducted, as part of a research programme dedicated to the assessment of the environmental impact of different modes of pig production. A very large majority of pig producers (93%) and their suppliers (100%) considers pig farms as an asset for the region, whereas a majority of scientists (58%), activists (78%) and consumers (54%) sees it as a handicap. Differences among stakeholder groups are minor with respect to the perceived importance of environmental and social issues. Stakeholders agree on the relative level of responsibility of pig farms with respect to specific problems. For all groups unpleasant odours and water quality come first with respect to responsibility, for most groups soil quality comes second, followed by product safety and air quality. For a future improved mode of pig production, 76% of pig producers and their suppliers prefer to adapt the current model, for all other groups the majority prefers an alternative model. While pig producers and their suppliers prefer a slurry-based housing system, all other groups prefer a straw-based system. Pig producers see the slurry-based system as technically superior and associate the straw-based system with poor working conditions, whereas consumers associate the slurry-based system in the first place with poor water quality and associate the straw-based system with less pollution. These results will be of use in the research programme on the environmental impact of modes of pig production, as they indicate the environmental impacts to be considered and their relative importance. The results will also help in deciding which options should be assessed. It is concluded that the poor image of the current pig production model and its production practices with consumers does not seem compatible with a sustainable demand for pork products.     

畜牧业清洁生产的生态服务价值评估及补偿模式研究——以山东省规模养猪场为例

本文运用市场价值法、有效成本法、避免成本法,以山东省为例对规模养猪场清洁生产生态服务价值进行了评估,并探讨了清洁生产生态服务价值的补偿模式。结果表明:山东省规模养猪场清洁生产生态服务总价值为140.804亿元,其价值构成为绿色产品供给价值(84.22%)>气体调节价值(10.66%)>资源化利用价值(2.23%)>水质保护价值(1.96%)>土壤保护价值(0.92%)>水源节约价值(0.01%),说明清洁生产带来的尚未被养殖主体、政府和公众重视的生态服务价值巨大,同时也说明清洁生产具有极强的正外部性。为实现清洁生产生态服务价值,构建了政府补偿、市场化补偿和社会补偿协同作用的多元化生态补偿模式,其中政府补偿模式以资金补偿、政策补偿、技术补偿和智力补偿为主,市场化补偿模式主要表现为排污权交易和生态标记,社会补偿模式以自力补偿为主、相关企业参与为辅。     

Salt-induced land and water degradation in the Aral Sea basin: A challenge to sustainable agriculture in Central Asia

Expansion of irrigated agriculture in the Aral Sea Basin in the second half of the twentieth century led to the conversion of vast tracks of virgin land into productive agricultural systems resulting in significant increases in employment opportunities and income generation. The positive effects of the development of irrigated agriculture were replete with serious environmental implications. Excessive use of irrigation water coupled with inadequate drainage systems has caused large‐scale land degradation and water quality deterioration in downstream parts of the basin, which is fed by two main rivers, the Amu‐Darya and Syr‐Darya. Recent estimates suggest that more than 50% of irrigated soils are salt‐affected and/or waterlogged in Central Asia. Considering the availability of natural and human resources in the Aral Sea Basin as well as the recent research addressing soil and water management, there is cause for cautious optimism. Research‐based interventions that have shown significant promise in addressing this impasse include: (1) rehabilitation of abandoned salt‐affected lands through halophytic plant species; (2) introduction of 35‐day‐old early maturing rice varieties to withstand ambient soil and irrigation water salinity; (3) productivity enhancement of high‐magnesium soils and water resources through calcium‐based soil amendments; (4) use of certain tree species as biological pumps to lower elevated groundwater levels in waterlogged areas; (5) optimal use of fertilizers, particularly those supplying nitrogen, to mitigate the adverse effects of soil and irrigation water salinity; (6) mulching of furrows under saline conditions to reduce evaporation and salinity buildup in the root zone; and (7) establishment of multipurpose tree and shrub species for biomass and renewable energy production. Because of water withdrawals for agriculture from two main transboundary rivers in the Aral Sea Basin, there would be a need for policy level interventions conducive for enhancing interstate cooperation to transform salt‐affected soil and saline water resources from an environmental and productivity constraint into an economic asset.     

Land Use Change on Coffee Farms in Southern Guatemala and its Environmental Consequences

Changes in commodity prices, such as the fall in coffee prices from 2000 to 2004, affect land use decisions on farms, and the environmental services they provide. A survey of 50 farms showed a 35 % loss in the area under coffee between 2000 and 2004 below 700 m with the majority of this area (64 %) being coffee agroforest systems that included native forest species. Loss of coffee only occurred on large and medium-scale farms; there was no change in area on cooperatives. Coffee productivity declined below 1,100 m altitude for sun and Inga shade coffee, but only below 700 m altitude for agroforest coffee. Coffee productivity was 37–53 % lower under agroforests than other systems. Increases in rubber and pasture were related to low altitude large-scale farms, and bananas and timber plantations to mid-altitude farms. Average aboveground carbon stocks for coffee agroforests of 39 t C ha^?1 was similar to rubber plantations, but one-third to one half that of natural forest and timber plantations, respectively. Coffee agroforests had the highest native tree diversity of the productive systems (7–12 species ha^?1) but lower than natural forest (31 species ha^?1). Conversion of coffee agroforest to other land uses always led to a reduction in the quality of habitat for native biodiversity, especially avian, but was concentrated among certain farm types. Sustaining coffee agroforests for biodiversity conservation would require targeted interventions such as direct payments or market incentives specifically for biodiversity.     

春玉米产量、氮肥效率及土壤矿质氮对施氮的响应

为了提高氮肥增产效益,减少对环境的污染,通过田间试验研究了施氮量对春玉米产量、氮肥效率及土壤矿质氮的影响。结果表明,施氮量较低时,春玉米籽粒产量随施氮量增加显著增加,当施氮量高于180kg·hm2时,产量保持不变或有减少趋势。氮肥农学利用率、氮素吸收效率、氮素偏生产力和氮收获指数均随着施氮量增加显著降低,氮肥表观利用率和氮肥生理利用率均先增加后降低。从苗期到收获期,施氮处理0～60cm土层硝态氮含量呈现“上升一下降一上升一下降一稳定”的变化趋势,而60～120cm土层硝态氮在春玉米生长后期有增加的趋势。随着土层加深,土壤硝态氮含量呈波浪式下降,施氮量240kg·hm-2和300kg·hm-2处理在60～100cm土层硝态氮含量均显著高于其他处理。随着施氮量增加,0～120cm土层硝态氮累积量显著增加,当施氮量超过240kg·hm-2时,土层中累积的硝态氮存在着较大的淋溶风险。综合考虑产量、氮肥效率和环境效应,179—209kgN·hm。是本试验条件下春玉米的合理施氮量。     

An operational method for the evaluation of resource use and environmental impacts of dairy farms by life cycle assessment

This paper describes and applies EDEN-E, an operational method for the environmental evaluation of dairy farms based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) conceptual framework. EDEN-E requires a modest amount of data readily available on-farm, and thus can be used to assess a large number of farms at a reasonable cost. EDEN-E estimates farm resource use and pollutant emissions mostly at the farm scale, based on-farm-gate balances, amongst others. Resource use and emissions are interpreted in terms of potential impacts: eutrophication, acidification, climate change, terrestrial toxicity, non-renewable energy use and land occupation. The method distinguishes for each total impact a direct component (impacts on the farm site) and an indirect component (impacts associated with production and supply of inputs used). A group of 47 dairy farms (41 conventional and six organic) was evaluated. Expressed per 1000 kg of fat-and-protein-corrected milk, total land occupation was significantly larger for organic than for conventional farms, while total impacts for eutrophication, acidification, climate change, terrestrial toxicity, and non-renewable energy use were not significantly different for the two production modes. When expressed per ha of land occupied all total impacts were significantly larger for conventional than organic farms. This study largely confirms previously published findings concerning the effect of production mode on impacts of dairy farms. However, it strikingly reveals that, for the set of farms examined, the contribution of production mode to overall inter-farm variability of impacts was minor relative to inter-farm variability within each of the two production modes examined. The mapping of impact variability through EDEN-E opens promising perspectives to move towards sustainable farming systems by identifying the structural and management characteristics of the farms presenting the lowest impacts.     

Nitrogen turnover on organic and conventional mixed farms

Separate focus on crop fertilization or feeding practices inadequately describes nitrogen (N) loss from mixed dairy farms because of (1) interaction between animal and crop production and between the production system and the manager, and (2) uncertainties of herd N production and crop N utilization. Therefore a systems approach was used to study N turnover and N efficiency on 16 conventional and 14 organic private Danish farms with mixed animal (dairy) and crop production. There were significant differences in N surplus at the farm level (242 kg. N/ha. vs. 124 kg. N/ha. on conventional and organic dairy farms respectively) with a correlation between stocking rate and N surplus. N efficiency was calculated as the output of N in animal products divided by the net N import in fodder, manure and fertilizer. N turnover in herd and individual crops calculated on selected farms showed differences in organic and conventional crop N utilization. This is explained via a discussion of the rationality behind the current way of planning the optimum fertilizer application in conventional agriculture. The concept of marginal N efficiency is insufficient for correcting problems of N loss from dairy farms. Substantial reductions in N loss from conventional mixed dairy farms is probably unlikely without lower production intensity. The concept of mean farm unit N efficiency might be a way to describe the relation between production and N loss to facilitate regulation. This concept is linked to differing goals of agricultural development—i.e. intensification and separation vs. extensification and integration. It is discussed how studies in private farms—using organic farms as selected critical cases—can demonstrate possibilities for balancing production and environmental concern.     

Multiscale effects of management, environmental conditions, and land use on nitrate leaching in dairy farms

Nitrate leaching in intensive grassland- and silage maize-based dairy farming systems on sandy soil is a main environmental concern. Here, statistical relationships are presented between management practices and environmental conditions and nitrate concentration in shallow groundwater (0.8 m depth) at farm, field, and point scales in The Netherlands, based on data collected in a participatory approach over a 7-yr period at one experimental and eight pilot commercial dairy farms on sandy soil. Farm milk production ranged from 10 to 24 Mg ha(-1). Soil and hydrological characteristics were derived from surveys and weather conditions from meteorological stations. Statistical analyses were performed with multiple regression models. Mean nitrate concentration at farm scale decreased from 79 mg L(-1) in 1999 to 63 in 2006, with average nitrate concentration in groundwater decreasing under grassland but increasing under maize land over the monitoring period. The effects of management practices on nitrate concentration varied with spatial scale. At farm scale, nitrogen surplus, grazing intensity, and the relative areas of grassland and maize land significantly contributed to explaining the variance in nitrate concentration in groundwater. Mean nitrate concentration was negatively correlated to the concentration of dissolved organic carbon in the shallow groundwater. At field scale, management practices and soil, hydrological, and climatic conditions significantly contributed to explaining the variance in nitrate concentration in groundwater under grassland and maize land. We conclude that, on these intensive dairy farms, additional measures are needed to comply with the European Union water quality standard in groundwater of 50 mg nitrate L(-1). The most promising measures are omitting fertilization of catch crops and reducing fertilization levels of first-year maize in the rotation.     

Application of Tabu Search Algorithm With a Coupled AnnAGNPS‐CCHE1D Model to Optimize Agricultural Land Use1

Abstract: A principal contributor to soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution, agricultural activities have a major influence on the environmental quality of a watershed. Impact of agricultural activities on the quality of water resources can be minimized by implementing suitable agriculture land‐use types. Currently, land uses are designed (location, type, and operational schedule) based on field study results, and do not involve a science‐based approach to ensure their efficiency under particular regional, climatic, geological, and economical conditions. At present, there is a real need for new methodologies that can optimize the selection, design, and operation of agricultural land uses at the watershed scale by taking into account environmental, technical, and economical considerations, based on realistic simulations of watershed response. In this respect, the present study proposes a new approach, which integrates computational modeling of watershed processes, fluvial processes in the drainage network, and modern heuristic optimization techniques to design cost effective land‐use plans. The watershed model AnnAGNPS and the channel network model CCHE1D are linked together to simulate the sediment and pollutant transport processes. Based on the computational results, a multi‐objective function is set up to minimize soil losses, nutrient yields, and total associated costs, while the production profits from agriculture are maximized. The selected iterative optimization algorithm uses adaptive Tabu Search heuristic to flip (switching from one alternative to another) land‐change variables. USDA’s Goodwin Creek experimental watershed, located in Northern Mississippi, is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed approach. The results show that the optimized land‐use design with BMPs using an integrated approach at the watershed level can provide efficient and cost‐effective conservation of the environmental quality by taking into account both productivity and profitability.     

The relationship between milk production and farm-gate nitrogen surplus for the Waikato region, New Zealand

As the scope and scale of New Zealand (NZ) dairy farming increases, farmers and the industry are being challenged by Government and the New Zealand public to address growing environmental concerns. Dairying has come under increasing scrutiny from local authorities tasked with sustainable resource management. Despite recent efforts of farmers and industry to improve resource use efficiency, there is increasing likelihood of further regulatory constraints on water use and nutrient management. This study uses available data on farm-gate nitrogen (N) surpluses and milk production from the Waikato, New Zealand's largest dairying region, together with a farm scale modeling exercise, to provide a perspective on the current situation compared to dairy farms in Europe. It also aims to provide relevant guidelines for N surpluses and efficiencies under NZ conditions. Waikato dairy farms compare favorably with farms in Europe in terms of N use efficiency expressed as L milk/kg farm-gate N surplus. Achievable and realistic good practice objectives for Waikato dairy farmers could be 15,000 L milk/ha (1200 kg milk fat plus protein/ha) with a farm-gate N surplus of 100 kg/ha giving an eco-efficiency (L milk/kg N surplus) of 150, and long-term average nitrate leaching losses of approximately 25-30 kg/ha/yr. This can be achieved by increasing the N conversion efficiency through lower replacement rates (16 versus 22%), lower stocked (< 3 cows/ha) high genetic merit cows (30 L milk/day at peak) milked for longer (277 versus 240 days), feeding effluent-irrigated, home-grown, low-protein supplements to cows on high-protein, grass-clover pastures to dilute N concentration in the diet, removing some of the urinary N from the paddocks during critical times by standing cows on a loafing pad for part of the day, and through lower N fertilizer rates (50-70 kg/ha/yr compared to the norm of 170-200 kg/ha/yr) and using a nitrification inhibitor and gibberellins to boost pasture growth and the former to reduce N leaching.     

Environmental performance and spillover effects on productivity: evidence from horticultural firms

This study investigates the effect of environmental investment and related spillover effects on productivity in the agricultural sector by using a panel data of horticultural firms in Andalusia (Southern Spain). The results indicate a positive relationship between firm investment in environmental practices and productivity improvement, also showing the presence of positive environmental spillovers. In a second-stage of analysis, the incidence of environmental factors in firm specific individual technical efficiency is estimated. This analysis also shows the link between environmental knowledge diffusion and horticultural firms' performance.     

广州市规模化养猪场废水污染调查与防治对策探讨

广州市规模化养猪业的快速发展带来了严重的环境污染。本文对广州市规模化养猪场的废水污染状况展开研究,在对养猪场的现状进行考察,理清广州市规模化养猪场的数量、分布、建筑形式与养殖工艺的基础上,选取5家有代表性的养猪场进行废水监测,计算统计全市规模化养猪场的废水排放量,并对污染产生的原因进行了分析。结果表明：目前广州市规模化养猪场共有974个,污水排放量为每年8.62×106吨,饲养方式、废水治理措施与生产管理方式在很大程度上影响废水污染物的种类与数量。最后本文从技术以及管理制度的安排方面,提出了防治规模化养猪场废水污染的对策。