Addition of cattle manure to sheep bedding allows vermicomposting process and improves vermicompost quality.
Animal waste is usually a good substrate for vermicomposting. However, numerous animal husbandry systems use bedding that consists primarily of lignocellulosic substrates, which hinders earthworm and microorganism's development and thus, the entire bioconversion process. One possible solution is to mix the used bedding with other waste materials that are more amenable to earthworm ingestion and can provide better conditions for earthworm population growth. Here, we have aimed to examine the effectiveness of such procedure by mixing rice-husk-based sheep bedding with cattle manure in different proportions (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). We have carried out vermicomposting experiments in benchtop vermireactors inoculated with 0.88kg of dry matter (sheep bedding+cattle manure). Data used in the Principal Component Analysis were the multiple vermicomposting variables (i.e., EC; pH; HA/FA and C/N ratios; P, K, cellulose, and hemicellulose content). The effect of the treatment on earthworm count was analyzed with ANOVA. We have observed that the addition of at least 25% of cattle manure to sheep bedding allows vermicomposting process but it is necessary 148days to obtain a stabilized vermicompost. However, increasing the proportion of cattle manure to sheep bedding, the vermicomposting time decreases proportionally to 94days. We concluded that vermicomposting can be considered a bioprocess to stabilize rice husk after being used as sheep bedding.
Research Group on Water Resources and Environmental Sanitation - RHESA, Western Parana State University - UNIOESTE, Agricultural Engineering Graduate Program - PGEAGRI, Rua Universitária, 2069, Jardim Universitário, 85.819-110 Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil.
Taiana
T
Cestonaro
Research Group on Water Resources and Environmental Sanitation - RHESA, Western Parana State University - UNIOESTE, Agricultural Engineering Graduate Program - PGEAGRI, Rua Universitária, 2069, Jardim Universitário, 85.819-110 Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: monicasarollisilva@gmail.com.
Mônica Sarolli Silva de Mendonça
MS
Costa
Research Group on Water Resources and Environmental Sanitation - RHESA, Western Parana State University - UNIOESTE, Agricultural Engineering Graduate Program - PGEAGRI, Rua Universitária, 2069, Jardim Universitário, 85.819-110 Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil.
Luiz Antonio de Mendonça
LA
Costa
Research Group on Water Resources and Environmental Sanitation - RHESA, Western Parana State University - UNIOESTE, Agricultural Engineering Graduate Program - PGEAGRI, Rua Universitária, 2069, Jardim Universitário, 85.819-110 Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil.
Dercio Ceri
DC
Pereira
Research Group on Water Resources and Environmental Sanitation - RHESA, Western Parana State University - UNIOESTE, Agricultural Engineering Graduate Program - PGEAGRI, Rua Universitária, 2069, Jardim Universitário, 85.819-110 Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil.
Marcos A T
MA
Rozatti
Research Group on Water Resources and Environmental Sanitation - RHESA, Western Parana State University - UNIOESTE, Agricultural Engineering Graduate Program - PGEAGRI, Rua Universitária, 2069, Jardim Universitário, 85.819-110 Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil.
Marcos F Leal
MF
Martins
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002417:Cattle; D008372:Manure; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000502:physiology; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012756:Sheep; D012987:Soil
D008372:Manure; D012987:Soil
Ash content; C/N ratio; Eisenia fetida; Principal component analysis; Rice husk