Understanding the Fertilizer Management Impacts on Water and Nitrogen Dynamics for a Corn Silage Tile-Drained System in Canada.

Effective management of dairy manure is important to minimize N losses from cropping systems, maximize profitability, and enhance environmental sustainability. The objectives of this study were (i) to calibrate and validate the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model using measurements of silage corn ( L.) biomass, N uptake, soil temperature, tile drain flow, NO leaching, NO emissions, and soil mineral N in eastern Canada, and (ii) to investigate the long-term impacts of manure management under climate variability. The treatments investigated included a zero-fertilizer control, inorganic fertilizer, and dairy manure amendments (raw and digested). The DNDC model overall demonstrated statistically "good" performance when simulating silage corn yield and N uptake based on normalized RMSE (nRMSE) < 10%, index of agreement () > 0.9, and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) > 0.5. In addition, DNDC, with its inclusion of a tile drainage mechanism, demonstrated "good" predictions for cumulative drainage (nRMSE < 20%, > 0.8, and NSE > 0.5). The model did, however, underestimate daily drainage flux during spring thaw for both organic and inorganic amendments. This was attributed to an underestimation of soil temperature and soil water under frequent soil freezing and thawing during the 2013-2014 overwinter period. Long-term simulations under climate variability indicated that spring applied manure resulted in less NO leaching and NO emissions than fall application when manure rates were managed based on crop N requirements. Overall, this study helped highlight the challenges in discerning the short-term climate interactions on fertilizer-induced N losses compared with the long-term dynamics under climate variability.

Predicting manure volatile solid output of lactating dairy cows.

Organic matter (OM) in livestock manure consisting of biodegradable and nonbiodegradable fractions is known as volatile solids (VS). According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 guidelines, methane produced by stored manure is determined based on VS. However, only biodegradable OM generates methane production. Therefore, estimates of biodegradable VS (dVS; dVS = VS - lignin) would yield better estimates of methane emissions from manure. The objective of the study was to develop mathematical models for estimating VS and dVS outputs of lactating dairy cows. Dry matter intake, dietary nutrient contents, milk yield and composition, body weight, and days in milk were used as potential predictor variables. Multicollinearity, model simplicity, and random study effects were taken into account during model development that used 857 VS and dVS measurements made on individual cows (kg/cow per day) from 43 metabolic trials conducted at the USDA Energy and Metabolism laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. The new models and the IPCC Tier 2 model were evaluated with an independent data set including 209 VS and dVS measurements (kg/cow per day) from 2 metabolic trials conducted at the University of California, Davis. Organic matter intake (kg/d) and dietary crude protein and neutral detergent fiber contents (% of dry matter) were significantly associated with VS. A new model including these variables fitted best to data. When evaluated with independent data, the new model had a root mean squared prediction error as a percentage of average observed value (RMSPE) of 12.5%. Mean and slope biases were negligible at <1% of total prediction bias. When energy digestibility of the diet was assumed to be 67%, the IPCC Tier 2 model had a RMSPE of 13.7% and a notable mean bias for VS to be overpredicted by 0.4 kg/cow per day. A separate model including OM intake as well as dietary crude protein and neutral detergent fiber contents as predictor variables fitted best to dVS data and performed well on independent data (RMSPE = 12.7%). The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System model relying on fat-corrected milk yield and body weight more successfully predicted dry matter intake (DMI; RMSPE = 14.1%) than the simplified (RMSPE = 16.9%) and comprehensive (RMSPE = 23.4%) models to predict DMI in IPCC Tier 2 methodology. New models and the IPCC Tier 2 model using DMI from the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System model predicted VS (RMSPE = 17.7-19.4%) and dVS (RMSPE = 20%) well with small systematic bias (<10% of total bias). The present study offers empirical models that can accurately predict VS and dVS of dairy cows using routinely available data in dairy farms and thereby assist in efficiently determining methane emissions from stored manure.

Greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from production of compost bedding on a dairy farm.

Recent developments in composting technology enable dairy farms to produce their own bedding from composted manure. This management practice alters the fate of carbon and nitrogen; however, there is little data available documenting how gaseous emissions are impacted. This study measured in-situ emissions of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ammonia (NH3) from an on-farm solid-liquid separation system followed by continuously-turned plug-flow composting over three seasons. Emissions were measured separately from the continuously-turned compost phase, and the compost-storage phase prior to the compost being used for cattle bedding. Active composting had low emissions of N2O and CH4 with most carbon being emitted as CO2-C and most N emitted as NH3-N. Compost storage had higher CH4 and N2O emissions than the active phase, while NH3 was emitted at a lower rate, and CO2 was similar. Overall, combining both the active composting and storage phases, the mean total emissions were 3.9×10-2gCH4kg-1 raw manure (RM), 11.3gCO2kg-1 RM, 2.5×10-4g N2O kg-1 RM, and 0.13g NH3 kg-1 RM. Emissions with solid-separation and composting were compared to calculated emissions for a traditional (unseparated) liquid manure storage tank. The total greenhouse gas emissions (CH4+N2O) from solid separation, composting, compost storage, and separated liquid storage were reduced substantially on a CO2-equivalent basis compared to traditional liquid storage. Solid-liquid separation and well-managed composting could mitigate overall greenhouse gas emissions; however, an environmental trade off was that NH3 was emitted at higher rates from the continuously turned composter than reported values for traditional storage.

Dairy Manure Total Solid Levels Impact CH Flux and Abundance of Methanogenic Archaeal Communities.

Stored liquid dairy manures are methane (CH) emission hotspots because of the large amount of slurry volatile solids (VS) converted into CH by methanogens under anaerobic conditions. Our research has indicated that a reduction of total solids (TS) of slurries before storage can reduce CH emissions. In the current study, methanogen abundance was characterized in tanks with different CH emissions. Using mesoscale slurry storage facilities equipped for continuous gaseous emission monitoring, we stored dairy slurries having TS from 9.5 to 0.3% for up to 6 mo. Samples were taken after Day 30 and Day 120 of the storage (20 May-16 Nov. 2010) from the upper and bottom layers of the slurries. Methanogenic communities were studied by targeting the gene encoding the α subunit methyl-coenzyme M reductase (), which catalyzes the final step of methanogenesis. Interestingly, mean abundances of methanogens increased by ∼8 and 23% at the top and bottom sections, respectively, as slurry TS decreased from 9.5 to 0.3%. Cumulative CH emissions, however, decreased by ∼70% as slurry TS decreased from 9.5 to 0.3%. Nevertheless, compared with Day 30 of storage, mean abundances of methanogens were relatively higher at Day 120 (up to 19%), consistent with an increase in the cumulative CH emissions. Polymerase chain reaction denaturing gel electrophoresis analysis indicated a low methanogen diversity, with most bands sequenced closely related to the genus (>95% amino acid sequence similarity), the hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Results suggest that available carbon substrate and not methanogen abundance may be limiting cumulative CH emissions at reduced TS levels of dairy slurries.

The Extent of Manure Removal from Storages and Its Impact on Gaseous Emissions.

Manure remaining in storage due to incomplete removal is a source of microbial inoculum that may affect methane (CH), nitrous oxide (NO), and ammonia (NH) emissions during subsequent storage. Manure removal was studied by loading fresh manure into outdoor concrete tanks (10.6 m) that contained previously stored manure (inoculum) at six levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%, with 0% representing an empty tank). Emissions were continuously measured for 6-mo storage periods (warm and cold seasons) using flow-through chambers. Fluxes during the warm season (average manure temperature at 80 cm depth, = 17°C) were 25 times higher for CH, 20 times higher for NO, and 2.9 times higher for NH compared with the cold season ( = 4°C). Cumulative CH emissions increased linearly with the level of added inoculum in the cold season ( = 0.98). A similar linear increase was observed in the warm season from 0 to 20% inoculum ( = 0.91), after which a decrease in emissions was observed at 25%. Reducing inoculum from 15 to 5% reduced CH emissions by 26% in the warm season and 45% in the cold season. There was no clear effect of inoculum on NO and NH emissions, suggesting that complete manure storage emptying does not alter their emissions.

Determining the influence of Itaipu Lake on thermal conditions for soybean development in adjacent lands.

Previous numerical simulations have suggested that the area adjacent to Itaipu Lake in Southern Brazil is significantly affecting the local thermal regime through development of a lake breeze. This has led to concerns that soybean growth and development, and consequently yield, has been affected by the creation of the artificial lake in this important agricultural region, but a systematic climatological study of the thermal effects of Itaipu Lake has not been conducted. The objectives of this study were to assess the spatial pattern of minimum and maximum air temperatures in a 10-km-wide area adjacent to Itaipu Lake as affected by distance from the water. Measurements were conducted over 3 years in seven transects along the shore of Itaipu Lake, with five weather stations placed in each transect. Phenological observations in soybean fields surrounding the weather stations were also conducted. Generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS) analysis indicated no difference in the temperature time series as distance from water increased. Semivariograms showed that the random components in the air temperature were predominant and that there was no spatial structure to the signal. Wind direction measured over the three growing seasons demonstrated that, on average, the development of a lake breeze is limited to a few locations and a few hours of the day, supporting the temporal and spatial analysis. Phenological observations did not show differences in the timing of critical soybean stages. We suggest that the concerns that soybean development is potentially affected by the presence of Itaipu Lake are not supported by the thermal environment observed.

Quantifying body water kinetics and fecal and urinary water output from lactating Holstein dairy cows.

Reliable estimates of fresh manure water output from dairy cows help to improve storage design, enhance efficiency of land application, quantify the water footprint, and predict nutrient transformations during manure storage. The objective of the study was to construct a mechanistic, dynamic, and deterministic mathematical model to quantify urinary and fecal water outputs (kg/d) from individual lactating dairy cows. The model contained 4 body water pools: reticulorumen (QRR), post-reticulorumen (QPR), extracellular (QEC), and intracellular (QIC). Dry matter (DM) intake, dietary forage, DM, crude protein, acid detergent fiber and ash contents, milk yield, and milk fat and protein contents, days in milk, and body weight were input variables to the model. A set of linear equations was constructed to determine drinking, feed, and saliva water inputs to QRR and fractional water passage from QRR to QPR. Water transfer via the rumen wall was subjected to changes in QEC and total water input to QRR. Post-reticulorumen water passage was adjusted for DM intake. Metabolic water production and respiratory cutaneous water losses were estimated with functions of heat production in the model. Water loss in urine was driven by absorbed N left after being removed via milk. Model parameters were estimated simultaneously using observed fecal and urinary water output data from lactating Holstein cows (n=670). The model was evaluated with data that were not used for model development and optimization (n=377). The observations in both data sets were related to thermoneutral conditions. The model predicted drinking water intake, fecal, urinary, and total fresh manure water output with root mean square prediction errors as a percentage of average values of 18.1, 15.6, 30.6, and 14.6%, respectively. In all cases, >97% of the prediction error was due to random variability of data. The model can also be used to determine saliva production, heat and metabolic water production, respiratory cutaneous water losses, and size of major body water pools in lactating Holstein cows under thermoneutral conditions.

Anti-methanogenic effects of monensin in dairy and beef cattle: a meta-analysis.

Monensin is a widely used feed additive with the potential to minimize methane (CH4) emissions from cattle. Several studies have investigated the effects of monensin on CH4, but findings have been inconsistent. The objective of the present study was to conduct meta-analyses to quantitatively summarize the effect of monensin on CH4 production (g/d) and the percentage of dietary gross energy lost as CH4 (Ym) in dairy cows and beef steers. Data from 22 controlled studies were used. Heterogeneity of the monensin effects were estimated using random effect models. Due to significant heterogeneity (>68%) in both dairy and beef studies, the random effect models were then extended to mixed effect models by including fixed effects of DMI, dietary nutrient contents, monensin dose, and length of monensin treatment period. Monensin reduced Ym from 5.97 to 5.43% and diets with greater neutral detergent fiber contents (g/kg of dry matter) tended to enhance the monensin effect on CH4 in beef steers. When adjusted for the neutral detergent fiber effect, monensin supplementation [average 32 mg/kg of dry matter intake (DMI)] reduced CH4 emissions from beef steers by 19±4 g/d. Dietary ether extract content and DMI had a positive and a negative effect on monensin in dairy cows, respectively. When adjusted for these 2 effects in the final mixed-effect model, monensin feeding (average 21 mg/kg of DMI) was associated with a 6±3 g/d reduction in CH4 emissions in dairy cows. When analyzed across dairy and beef cattle studies, DMI or monensin dose (mg/kg of DMI) tended to decrease or increase the effect of monensin in reducing methane emissions, respectively. Methane mitigation effects of monensin in dairy cows (-12±6 g/d) and beef steers (-14±6 g/d) became similar when adjusted for the monensin dose differences between dairy cow and beef steer studies. When adjusted for DMI differences, monensin reduced Ym in dairy cows (-0.23±0.14) and beef steers (-0.33±0.16). Monensin treatment period length did not significantly modify the monensin effects in dairy cow or beef steer studies. Overall, monensin had stronger antimethanogenic effects in beef steers than dairy cows, but the effects in dairy cows could potentially be improved by dietary composition modifications and increasing the monensin dose.

Relationships between dairy slurry total solids, gas emissions, and surface crusts.

Livestock slurry storages are sources of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (NO2), and ammonia (NH3) emissions. Total solids (TS) content is an indicator of substrate availability for CH4 and N2O production and NH3 emissions and is related to crust formation, which can affect these gas emissions. The effect of TS on these emissions from pilot-scale slurry storages was quantified from 20 May through 16 Nov. 2010 in Nova Scotia, Canada. Emissions from six dairy slurries with TS ranging from 0.3 to 9.5% were continuously measured using flow-through steady-state chambers. Methane emissions modeled using the USEPA methodology were compared with measured data focusing on emissions when empty storages were filled, and retention times were >30 d with undegraded volatile solids (VS) remaining in the system considered available for CH4 production (VS carry-over). Surface crusts formed on all the slurries. Only the slurries with TS of 3.2 and 5.8% were covered completely for ∼3 mo. Nitrous oxide contributed <5% of total greenhouse gas emissions for all TS levels. Ammonia and CH4 emissions increased linearly with TS despite variable crusting, suggesting substrate availability for gas production was more important than crust formation in regulating emissions over long-term storage. Modeled CH4 emissions were substantially higher than measured data in the first month, and accounting for this could improve overall model performance. Carried-over VS were a CH4 source in months 2 through 6. The results of this study suggest that substrate availability regulates emissions over long-term storage and that modifying the USEPA model to better describe carbon cycling is warranted.

Excretion of major odor-causing and acidifying compounds in response to dietary supplementation of chicory inulin in growing pigs.

The excretion of major odor-causing and acidifying compounds in response to dietary supplementation of chicory inulin extract was investigated with six Yorkshire barrows, with an average initial BW of 30 kg, according to a balanced two-period cross-over design. The animals were fed a control diet containing no inulin extract and a treatment diet with 5% inulin extract (as-fed basis) at the expense of cornstarch. Each diet was formulated (as-fed basis) to contain 16% CP from corn (51%) and soybean meal (29%). Each experimental period lasted 14 d, with 10 d for dietary adaptation and 4 d for collection of fecal and urine samples. The fecal samples were analyzed for four major classes of odor-causing and acidifying compounds: 1) VFA; 2) N-containing compounds, including total N and ammonia; 3) volatile sulfides measured as hydrogen sulfide units; and 4) phenols and indoles, including p-cresol, indole, and skatole. Supplementation of chicory inulin at 5% had no effects on the fecal excretion of VFA (P = 0.29), ammonia (P = 0.96), total volatile sulfides (P = 0.56), p-cresol (P = 0.56), and indole (P = 0.75). Fecal excretion of total N (inulin = 6.13 vs. control = 5.10 g/kg DMI) was increased (P < 0.05), whereas urinary total N excretion (inulin = 15.1 vs. control = 16.4 g/[pig x d]) was not affected (P = 0.17) by the inulin supplementation compared with the control group. Furthermore, fecal excretion of skatole (inulin = 9.07 vs. control = 18.93 mg/kg DMI) was decreased (P < 0.05) by the inulin supplementation compared with the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 5% chicory inulin extract is effective in decreasing the fecal excretion of skatole in growing pigs fed corn and soybean meal diets.

Emissions of N2O and CH4 during the composting of liquid swine manure.

Composted organic wastes have been shown to reduce emissions of N2O and CH4, but little is known about the release of these gases during the composting process. This research examined the emissions of N2O and CH4 during the composting of liquid swine manure and wheat straw at two operations, one with forced aeration and the other without. The lack of aeration increased CH4 emissions to 24 times that of composting with aeration, but had no significant effect on N2O production. When total N2O and CH4 emissions from composting were compared with liquid swine manure emissions, aerated composting was found to reduce emissions to as low as 30% of those from liquid manure storage, while non-aerated composting elevated emissions up to an estimated 330% of liquid manure storage.

Laboratory-scale measurements of N2O and CH4 emissions from hybrid poplars (Populus deltoides x Populus nigra).

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not young hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides x Populus nigra) could transport landfill biogas internally from the root zone to the atmosphere, thereby acting as conduits for landfill gas release. Fluxes of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from the seedlings to the atmosphere were measured under controlled conditions using dynamic flux chambers and a tunable diode laser trace gas analyser (TDLTGA). Nitrous oxide was emitted from the seedlings, but only when extremely high soil N2O concentrations were applied to the root zone. In contrast, no detectable emissions of CH4 were measured in a similar experimental trial. Visible plant morphological responses, characteristic of flood-tolerant trees attempting to cope with the negative effects of soil hypoxia, were observed during the CH4 experiments. Leaf chlorosis, leaf abscission and adventitious roots were all visible plant responses. In addition, seedling survival was observed to be highest in the biogas 'hot spot' areas of a local municipal solid waste landfill involved in this study. Based on the available literature, these observations suggest that CH4 can be transported internally by Populus deltoides x Populus nigra seedlings in trace amounts, although future research is required to fully test this hypothesis.

Seasonal leaching and biodegradation of dicamba in turfgrass.

The leaching of surface-applied herbicides, such as dicamba (2methoxy-3,6-dichlorobenzoic acid), to ground water is an environmental concern. Seasonal changes in soil temperature and water content, affecting infiltration and biodegradation, may control leaching. The objectives of this study were to (i) investigate the leaching of dicamba applied to turfgrass, (ii) measure the degradation rate of dicamba in soil and thatch in the laboratory under simulated field conditions, and (iii) test the ability of the model EXPRES (containing LEACHM) to simulate the field transport and degradation processes. Four field lysimeters, packed with sandy loam soil and topped with Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) sod, were monitored after receiving three applications (May, September, November) of dicamba. Concentrations of dicamba greater than 1 mg L(-1) were detected in soil water. Although drying of the soil during the summer prevented deep transport, greater leaching occurred in late autumn due to increased infiltration. From the batch experiment, the degradation rate for dicamba in thatch was 5.9 to 8.4 times greater than for soil, with a calculated half-life as low as 5.5 d. Computer modeling indicated that the soil and climatic conditions would influence the effectiveness of greater degradation in thatch for reducing dicamba leaching. In general, EXPRES predictions were similar to observed concentration profiles, though peak dicamba concentrations at the 10-cm depth tended to be higher than predicted in May and November. Differences between predictions and observations are probably a result of minor inaccuracies in the water-flow simulation and the model's inability to modify degradation rates with changing climatic conditions.