| Composting livestock mortalities is an environmentally sound and biosecure means of waste management. A two-year study on cattle mortality composting was conducted in 2004 and 2005. A low cost and maintenance approach to composting was utilized for easy adaptation by producers. A total of 21 static compost piles were constructed on seven farms in southern Manitoba. Straw, sawdust, straw/sawdust, woodchips, and sunflower hulls were used as carbon amendment. The static pile contained one or two carcasses per pile and was constructed with or without a liner. Pile temperature and moisture content were monitored at four layers over seven months. Soil nutrients from beneath a pile were measured to assess the effectiveness of a plastic liner in preventing leaching. Percentage of pile volume reduction was also measured. Results showed that moisture contents tended to progressively increase downward through pile layers while temperatures remained warmer in the layers near the carcass. Depending on the type of amendment, average pile temperature ranged from 19.5 to 38.4°C and moisture content ranged from 30.4 to 72.7%. Sawdust as amendment resulted in the most suitable pile temperatures and moisture for composting. Pile volume of the straw/sawdust reduced by 38.4%, straw by 31.3%, sawdust by 26.1%, woodchips by 22.3%, and sunflower hulls by 4.4%. The presence of a second carcass in a compost pile did not require additional amendment, slightly increased average pile temperature, and did not affect pile moisture content when compared to single carcass piles. The use of a plastic liner resulted in reduced nitrate-N and potassium levels in the soil beneath straw compost piles.; Keywords: Composting, Carcass, Cattle, Temperature, Moisture, Liner, Static, Soil, Carbon, Amendment... |
