title: Greenhouse gas emissions during co-composting of calf mortalities with manure.
abstract: Composting may be a viable on-farm option for disposal of cattle carcasses. This study investigated greenhouse gas emissions during co-composting of calf mortalities with manure. Windrows were constructed that contained manure + straw (control compost [CK]) or manure + straw + calf mortalities (CM) using two technologies: a tractor-mounted front-end loader or a shredder bucket. Composting lasted 289 d. The windrows were turned twice (on Days 72 and 190), using the same technology used in their creation. Turning technology had no effect on greenhouse gas emissions or the properties of the final compost. The CO2 (75.2 g d(-1) m(-2)), CH4 (2.503 g d(-1) m(-2)), and N2O (0.370 g d(-1) m(-2)) emissions were higher (p < 0.05) in CM than in CK (25.7, 0.094, and 0.076 g d(-1) m(-2) for CO2, CH4, and N2O, respectively), which reflected differences in materials used to construct the compost windrows and therefore their total C and total N contents. The final CM compost had higher (p < 0.05) total N, total C, and mineral N content (NO3*+ NO2* + NH4+) than did CK compost and therefore has greater agronomic value as a fertilizer.
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge Research Centre, 5403 1st Ave S., Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1 Canada.
authors.forename: Shanwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stanford
authors.forename: Tim A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: McAllister
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Larney
authors.forename: Jingguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008372:Manure / Q000382:microbiology; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D005740:Gases; D008372:Manure; D012987:Soil; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D008697:Methane