Abstract
A study was conducted to develop organic briquettes using biomass originating from slaughterhouse wastes and to investigate its potential as a nutrient source for plant growth. Dried rumen contents were mixed with fresh blood collected after bleeding of animals in different proportions and dried using tray drier. The dried rumen content-blood (RB) mixture was further mixed with commercially available coir pith in 12 different proportions. The rumen content-blood-coir pith (RBC) mixture was formed into briquettes using a hydraulic biomass briquetting machine. Each organic briquette was 5 cm in diameter and had an average weight of 30–40 g. The treatments were analyzed for pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen, carbon: nitrogen ratio, total phosphorus and total potassium. Organic briquette having rumen content with 100% blood and 80% coir pith (T10) recorded the highest total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium content. The treatments for plant growth studies were selected based on the criteria that each treatment had highest values for at least two of the three primary nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The treatments T5, T7, T8, T10 and T12 were selected for plant growth studies. Pot experiment using selected briquettes was carried out to determine the effect of selected briquettes on growth parameters and yield attributes of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus). Nutrient release pattern of the selected organic briquettes was also studied. The best desirable growth parameters and yield attributes of okra was observed in T10. Availability of nutrients in the medium were relatively less during first 2 months of planting (MAP), however, it significantly increased between 3 and 4 MAP, which resulted in better plant growth and fruit yield. The study showed that there is great potential for development of organic briquettes using slaughter house wastes as an eco-friendly process, which are compact, easy to transport and market, and ideal for grow bag cultivation and garden nurseries.Graphic Abstract
Highlights
India ranks first in terms of total livestock population
The current study has revealed that compact organic briquettes developed using preprocessed rumen content-blood and coir pith have great potential to be used as a plant growth supplement in pot culture or grow bag cultivation of vegetables
At four months after planting (MAP), higher levels of nutrients were available in the medium which resulted in better plant growth and fruit yield
Summary
India ranks first in terms of total livestock population. The ever-increasing demand for meat in the country over the course of decades led to an expansion of meat industry in terms of both number and capacity. In Kerala, a southern state in India, the total number of livestock handling units accounts to 15,680, out of which only 666 units operates with scientific waste disposal methods [1]. The major inedible wastes include rumen contents and blood which constitutes approximately 16 % and 4 % of the live weight of the animal respectively [2]. The current techniques for the disposal of rumen digesta such as ensiling and drying by fluid bed drier involves high processing and operational costs. Existing methods for industrial processing of blood to produce good quality blood meal requires sophisticated technologies and are cost intensive
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