Estimate of manure present in compost dairy barn systems for sizing of manure storage

F.A. Damasceno¹*, J.L. Monge², J.A.C. Nascimento¹, R.R. Andrade³, M. Barbari⁴, J.A.O. Saraz⁵ and G.A.S. Ferraz¹

¹Federal University of Lavras, Department of Engineering, BR37200-000 Lavras -Minas Gerais, Brazil
²Univeridad Nacional de Villa María, Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences, Agronomic Engineering, Córdoba, Argentina
³Federal University of Viçosa, Department of Agricultural Engineering, BR36570-000 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
⁴University of Florence, Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, Via San Bonaventura, 13, IT50145 Firenze, Italy
⁵Univeridad Nacional de Colombia, Agrarians Faculty, Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, Medellin, Colombia
*Correspondence: flavio.damasceno@ufla.br

Abstract:

Milk production is increasingly modernized as a result of the growing demand for food around the world. Improvements in livestock facilities are observed, with a large increase in the use of feedlot systems such as the Compost Dairy Barn. Increasing milk production in confinement systems has also raised concerns such as the management of wastes (water, faeces and urine) from the system, which has become one of the most important issues in the intensive dairy farms. The aim of this work was to estimate the amount of manure present in compost dairy barn systems in order to size the manure storage. The study was conducted at four compost dairy barns in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil. These compost barns had different bedding materials and dimensions. In each farm, data on milk yield and quality (daily production, fat and protein content), animal weight and amount of feed ingested by the animals were collected. Total-day manure delivered by the cows in the feeding alley and milking parlour was piled up together and weighed. Based on the results, it was observed that, in the compost dairy barns, only part of the total manure produced per day was delivered in the milking parlour (1.6 and 2.0%) and in the feed alley (27.6 to 49.3%). These results are very important for designers for the proper manure management system design of the dairy farms.

Key words:

animal facility, compost-bedded pack barn, dairy farming, manure, organic wastes

Typological analysis of the sustainability of dairy cattle farming in the Chelif valley (Algeria)

K. Ouakli¹², M. Benidir³*, S. Ikhlef¹ and H. Ikhlef¹

¹Higher National School of Agronomy, El Harrach, DZ16200 Algiers, Algeria
²Saad Dahlab University, Department of Agronomy, DZ9000 Blida, Algeria
³Algeria’s National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRAA), Setif DZ19000, Algeria
*Corresponding author: moh19ina@yahoo.fr

Abstract:

To identify production systems that could increase local milk production in a sustainable manner, a study was conducted on 135 dairy farms in the three main plains of the Chelif Valley, Algeria. These have been evaluated for environmental, social and economic sustainability based on the IDEA (Farm Sustainability Indicators) method.
The Principal Component Analysis identified 4 different types dairy production systems, namely Type 1: Medium-size dairy farms with cereal crop production; Type 2: Small-size dairy farms; Type 3: Medium-size dairy farms diversified crop production, and Type 4: Large-size dairy farms with diversified crop production.
Comparative analysis of ecological sustainability showed better results for medium-size dairy farms with cereal crop production (52.3 ± 10.17 / 100 points) and for large-size dairy farms with diversified crop production (51.6 ± 10.38 / 100 points), while the economic sustainability was better for medium-size dairy farms with diversified crop production (51.6 ± 19.20 / 100 points). On the other hand, social security was the weak point for all farm types.
On the regional level, it appeared that agri-environmental scores were better in Middle and Low Chelif valley while the best economic performances were recorded in High Chelif valley. On the regional level, it appears that the scores of agri-environmental scales are better in the middle and low Chelif while the economic performances are comparable between the three localities.

Key words: