Nutrient Balance on Nebraska Livestock Confinement Systems

Managing the environmental risk associated with livestock production is a significant challenge. The degree of imbalance between the amount of nutrient input and nutrient output for a livestock operation provides insight into the underlying causes of nutrient-related environmental challenges. A nitrogen and phosphorus balance was constructed for 33 Nebraska livestock operations (including 17 swine operations). On most farms, substantially more nitrogen entered the farm (through purchased feed, fertilizer, etc) than left it in the form of animals, crops and manure sold. Most farms also had an accumulation of phosphorus. Size of the operation and the degree of integration between livestock and a cropping operation provided only limited explanation of the variation in nutrient balance observed among the individual operations

G97-1334 Estimating Manure Nutrients from Livestock and Poultry

This NebGuide discusses a procedure for estimating the quantity of nutrients in livestock manure. When managed properly, nutrients in livestock manure can be a valuable resource. When managed improperly, however, these same nutrients become a potential environmental pollutant. Accurate crediting of manure nutrients within a total crop nutrient program is fundamental to utilizing manure as a resource. This NebGuide will help producers estimate the total manure nutrients (N, P and K) produced by their livestock and show how to adjust for losses for various storage and handling situations

Local Applications of the National Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Curriculum

This paper introduces the LPES curriculum project, summarizing the curriculum development process, the final curriculum materials, and the outreach activities. Following an overview of the LPES Curriculum Impact Survey, the authors will present representative examples of uses and modifications made of the LPES curriculum as it is used with targeted audiences. This model for utilizing national expertise to address state and local educational needs may have benefit in other extension education programs as land grant university resources decrease. The paper concludes with a discussion of lessons learned from this national extension education curriculum development effort

Purple Sulfur Bacteria in Anaerobic Treatment Lagoons

Purple or pink colored lagoons, indicating the presence of purple sulfur bacteria, are less likely to be considered an odor nuisance than a more typical non-purple lagoon. The design and management factors that encourage the growth of purple sulfur bacteria are poorly understood. A study of eight purple and non-purple lagoons was initiated during the spring and summer of 1996. The intent of this effort was to identify critical factors that would allow purple lagoons to become a more predictable odor control alternative. A preliminary comparison of design and management factors assumed to be critical suggests more similarities between these two groups of lagoons than differences

Effects of Distillers Grains and Manure Management on Nutrient Management Plans and Economics

Feed Nutrient Management Plan Economics software (FNMP$; Koelsch et al., 2007; available at http://cnmp.unl.edu under software resources) was used to evaluate the effect of distillers grains inclusion and manure application rate on feedlot nutrient management plans. Inclusion of distillers grains in diets resulted in greater nutrient excretion, land requirements, and manure hauling distances. However, the increased cost of manure management from feeding byproducts has the potential to be offset by increased manure fertilizer value. Changing from N-based to a P-based application rate increased the amount of land required and costs to apply manure. However, when manure was applied at a 4-year P-based rate instead of a 1-year P-based rate, single year land requirement remained similar and application-time was reduced by 41% from the 1-year P-based rate

Characteristics of Manure Harvested from Beef Cattle Feedlots

Open lot cattle production systems present unique challenges for nutrient planning processes. Previous estimates of quantities and characteristics of harvested manure from this type of facility are based upon data from the early 1970s. In addition, harvested manure is impacted by weather, feeding program, season, and pen management decisions. The objectives of this study are to characterize under commercial conditions for open lot beef systems: 1) harvested manure quantities and characteristics; 2) impact of factors such as feeding program, season, and management on harvested manure; and 3) mass balance for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Data from six commercial feedlots (representing 6,366 head of cattle) suggest that 33% of excreted N (65 g/hd/d) and 91% of excreted P (32 g/hd/d) are harvested as manure on average and that current standard estimates published by ASAE (2005) and NRCS (1992a) overestimate harvested manure N and P. Additionally, significant variation was observed among feedlots. This variation is driven by ration nutrient concentration (P only), pen conditions prior to and during manure harvest (N and P), and management choices relative to use of manure in lot maintenance (N and P). The variation would suggest that nutrient planning estimates for open lots would need to be based upon farm specific data as opposed to typical or standard values. Finally, a pen-based mass nutrient balance for a beef cattle feedlot suggests that pen outputs as finished animal, harvested manure, and nutrient losses represent 31%, 23%, and 47%, respectively, of all pen N inputs and 38%, 57%, and 5%, respectively, of all pen P inputs. Inputs include nutrient content of all animals and feed entering a feedlot pen over a grow-out period

Closure of Earthern Manure Structures (Including Basins, Holding Ponds and Lagoons)

This paper is a summary of what is known scientifically about the closure of earthen manure structures without artificial liners, including lagoons, storage basins, and runoff holding ponds, and what needs to be examined further to increase our understanding of the dynamics of closing them in an environmentally safe manner. This information should be useful as a guide for state regulatory agencies considering rules for closure and for academicians and consultants who work with livestock production facilities

Applying Alternative Technologies to CAFOs: A Case Study

The US EPA National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit program has regulated open lot livestock production systems since the 1970’s, historically requiring collection, storage, and land application of runoff. Under the new Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) regulations, the effluent limitation guidelines (ELG) offer the option of Voluntary Alternative Performance Standards for beef and dairy. This potentially allows runoff management options such as vegetative treatment systems (VTS) that may perform equal to or better than our baseline system while maintaining a challenging standard for application of alternative technologies. To facilitate application of VTS, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) and Iowa State University (ISU), have initiated several pro-active efforts including field-based demonstration and evaluation of these technologies and development of performance models for estimating performance. They also enlisted USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to assist with the assembly of the current science and access to cost share resources. This paper will 1) summarize the process used for facilitating an alternative technologies application on CAFOs, 2) review the critical issues in applying new technologies from the perspective of EPA, industry, research community, and private sector; and 3) summarize lessons learned in this process. Significant obstacles exist for alternative technology applications on CAFOs. Stakeholders in livestock environmental issues will need to play pro-active roles if alternative technologies will be permitted under the CAFO regulations

EC98-761 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’s System for Assessing Water Contamination Worksheet 10: Livestock Yards Management

Why should I be concerned? Livestock yards, such as barnyards, holding areas and feedlots, are areas of concentrated livestock wastes and a potential source of nutrient, solids, and bacteria contamination of surface and groundwater. Yards that are abandoned permanently or are inactive temporarily also represent a potential risk

EC98-795 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’s System for Assessing Water Contamination Fact Sheet 17: Improving Stormwater Management at Residential Sites

Stormwater is water from irrigation, rain or melting snow that does not soak into the ground. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas and bare soil, and across sloped lawns. As it flows, this runoff can collect and transport soil, pet waste, livestock manure, salt, pesticides, fertilizer, oil and grease, leaves, litter and other potential pollutants. A heavy rainstorm isn’t needed to send pollutants rushing toward streams, wetlands and lakes. A garden hose alone can supply enough water