Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T01:51:05.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of separation and acidification of cattle slurry on ammonia volatilization and on the efficiency of slurry nitrogen for herbage production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. P. Frost ,
R. J. Stevens  and
R. J. Laughlin
J. P. Frost
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR, UK
R. J. Stevens
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Food and Agricultural Chemistry Research Division, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX, UK
R. J. Laughlin
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Food and Agricultural Chemistry Research Division, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

During the growing season of 1988 at the Agricultural Research Institute, Hillsborough, cattle slurry was kept whole or was separated through screens with mesh sizes of 5 mm, 3 mm, 0·25 mm and 0·015 mm. The resulting slurry liquids were either left unacidified or were acidified to pH 5.5 with 5M-H2SO4 prior to application at 75 kg NH+4-N/ha to perennial ryegrass in the field. Volatilization of ammonia was measured using ventilated enclosures. Plots treated with a range of rates of inorganic fertilizer N were used to construct response curves to assess the efficiency of N in slurry for herbage production compared with equinitrogenous inorganic fertilizer.

On average over the season, acidification of cattle slurry decreased ammonia volatilization to < 15% of that from unacidified whole slurry. Compared with inorganic fertilizer N, the overall efficiency of NH+4-N was 96% in acidified slurries and 36% in unacidified whole slurry. Ammonia volatilization from separated slurries decreased with decreasing mesh size to 39% of that from whole slurry for a 0·015 mm mesh. The overall efficiency of NH4+-N in slurry separated through a 0·015 mm mesh was 76%. A highly significant linear relationship was found between NH3-N volatilized from all slurry treatments and N offtake in herbage at all three harvests.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 115 , Issue 1 , August 1990 , pp. 49 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Beauchamp, E. G., Kidd, G. E. & Thurtell, G. (1982). Ammonia volatilization from liquid dairy cattle manure in the field. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 62, 11–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clement, C. R. & Hopper, M. J. (1968). The supply of potassium to higher yielding cut grass. National Agricultural Advisory Service Quarterly Review 79, 101–109.Google Scholar
Gordon, R., Le Clerc, M., Schuepp, P. & Brunke, R. (1988). Field estimates of ammonia volatilization from swine manure by a simple micrometeorological technique. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 68, 369–380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiely, P. V. (1988). Slurry application to grassland in relation to efficiency of nitrogen utilization. Proceedings of the 4th International CIEC (International Scientific Centre of Fertilizers) Symposium, Braunschweig, German Federal Republic, 11–14 May 1987, pp. 101–104. Göttingen, German Federal Republic: CIEC.Google Scholar
Kissel, D. E., Brewer, H. L. & Arkin, G. F. (1977). Design and test of a field sampler for ammonia volatilization. Soil Science Society of America Journal 41, 1133–1138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1986). The Analysis of Agricultural Materials. Reference book No. 427. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Pain, B. F., Phillips, V. R., Clarkson, C. R. & Klarenbeek, J. V. (1989). Loss of nitrogen through ammonia volatilisation during and following the application of pig or cattle slurry to grassland. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 47, 1–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pain, B. F., Thompson, R. B., De La Lande Cremer, L. C. N. & Ten Holte, L. (1987). The use of additives in livestock slurries to improve their flow properties, conserve nitrogen and reduce odours. In Animal Manure on Grassland and Fodder Crops (Eds Meer, H. G. v.d., Unwin, R. J., Dijk, T. A. Van & Ennik, G. C.), pp. 229–246. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff.Google Scholar
Prins, W. H. & Snijders, P. J. M. (1987). Negative effects of animal manures on grassland due to surface spreading and injection. In Animal Manure on Grassland and Fodder Crops (Eds Meer, H. G. v.d., Unwin, R. J., Dijk, T. A. Van & Ennik, G. C.), pp. 119–135. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff.Google Scholar
Schechtner, G., Tunney, H., Arnold, G. H. & Keuning, J. A. (1980). Positive and negative effects of cattle manure on grassland with special reference to high rates of application. In The Role of Nitrogen in Intensive Grassland Production (Eds Prins, W. H. & Arnold, G. H.), pp. 77–93. Wageningen: Pudoc.Google Scholar
Sluijsmans, C. M. J. & Kolenbrander, G. J. (1977). The significance of animal manure as a source of nitrogen in soils. Proceedings, International Seminar on Soil Environment and Fertility Management in Intensive Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan, pp. 403–411. Haren: Institute for Soil Fertility.Google Scholar
Smith, K. A., Unwin, R. J. & Williams, J. H. (1985). Experiments on the fertiliser value of animal waste slurries. In Long-term Effects of Sewage Sludge and Farm Slurries Applications (Eds Williams, J. H., Guidi, G. & L'Hermite, P.), pp. 124–135. London: Elsevier Applied Science.Google Scholar
Stevens, R. J. & Logan, H. J. (1987). Determination of the volatilization of ammonia from surface-applied cattle slurry by the micrometerological mass balance method. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 109, 205–207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevens, R. J., Laughlin, R. J. & Frost, J. P. (1989). Effect of acidification with sulphuric acid on the volatilization of ammonia from cow and pig slurries. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 113, 389–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, R. B., Ryden, J. C. & Lockyer, D. R. (1987). Fate of nitrogen in cattle slurry following surface application or injection to grassland. Journal of Soil Science 38, 689–700.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Duk, T. A. & Sturm, H. (1983). Fertiliser value of animal manures on the Continent. Proceedings of the Fertiliser Society No. 220, 45 pp. London: The Fertiliser Society.Google Scholar
Vetter, H., Steffens, G. & Schröpel, R. (1987). The influence of different processing methods for slurry upon its fertiliser value in grassland. In Animal Manure on Grassland and Fodder Crops (Eds Meer, H. G. v.d., Unwin, R. J., Dijk, T. A. Van & Ennik, G. C.), pp. 73–86. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff.Google Scholar
Vlek, P. L. G. & Stumpe, J. M. (1978). Effects of solution chemistry and environmental conditions on ammonia volatilization losses from aqueous systems. Soil Science Society of America Journal 42, 416–421.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wit, C. T. De, Dukshoorn, W. J. & Noggle, J. C. (1963). Ionic balance and growth of plants. Verslagen Landbouw Onderzoekingen 69, 69.Google Scholar