Manure in Serbia - quantities and greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract

Manure is a by-product at agricultural farms that can consist of excrement, bedding, food, and other substances. Manure is a significant form of organic fertilizer, but it negatively impacts the environment. The objectives of this study are to determine the quantities of manure and classify them depending on the size and type of farms in Serbia and to quantify greenhouse gas emissions in Serbia from manure management. About 8.6 million m3 of fresh liquid manure and about 20.4 million tons of fresh solid manure are generated in Serbia. The dominant types of manures are liquid pig manure and cattle solid and liquid manures. Approximately 81% of the total amount of manure is located at farms with less than 100 livestock units. In Serbia, at large farms with over 1,000 livestock units, about 12% of the total amount of manure is generated. In 2020, about 23 Gg of CH4 and 1 Gg of N2O were emitted directly from manure. About 1,1 Gg of N2O is emitted indirectly from manure management. Total emissions of greenhouse gases originating from manure in 2020 amounted to about 1,144 GgCO2eq. Greenhouse gas emissions are declining due to the reduction of livestock, so in comparison to 1990, they are reduced by 36% for this sector.