Abstract
The accumulation of beef cattle manure on feedlot pen surfaces generates large effluent volumes which can impact surface and groundwater quality. The aim of this study is to examine and summarize the available information on feedlot effluents management in Buenos Aires Province, highlighting the environmental effects and the weaknesses and future actions suitable to be implemented. We describe the environmental effects of this activity over waterbodies quality and analyze the existing regulations, with special emphasis on criteria and/or discharge levels proposed by legislation. This study reveals some gaps and incongruence as well as needs and opportunities for adjustment and expanding of existing regulations. Finally, an operating scheme used to frame the analysis of different aspects involved in feedlot effluent management is proposed. Such scheme identifies four components defined considering the development of a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) and the determination of an Effluent Control Criterion (ECC).
Highlights
Observations, challenges and opportunities in feedlot effluents management in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina: The accumulation of beef cattle manure on feedlot pen surfaces generates large effluent volumes which can impact surface and groundwater quality
The aim of this study is to examine and summarize the available information on feedlot effluents management in Buenos Aires Province, highlighting the environmental effects and the weaknesses and future actions suitable to be implemented
We describe the environmental effects of this activity over waterbodies quality and analyze the existing regulations, with special emphasis on criteria and/or discharge levels proposed by legislation
Summary
Las escorrentías que atraviesan y/o se generan en los corrales de engorde conforman el efluente de estas producciones, cuyo volumen dependerá de la duración e intensidad de las precipitaciones, de la pendiente y rugosidad del terreno, y de las características de la capa de residuos orgánicos acumulados sobre la superficie de los suelos (Gilbertson et al 1980; Miller et al 2004). Especies microbiológicamente activas como las coliformes totales están presentes en estos efluentes en cantidades que varían entre 105 y 106 UFC/ml (Shouse 2012), superiores a los niveles guías de calidad de agua para riego (100 UFC/100 ml) (CCME 1999), pudiendo causar enfermedades transmitidas por el agua. Estos resultados concuerdan con los encontrados por García et al (2013) tras un monitoreo de tres años del agua freática y los acuíferos subyacentes a un feedlot de la provincia de Buenos Aires construido sobre un suelo argialbol típico cuyo rasgo característico es la presencia de un horizonte iluvial Bt fuertemente textural que reduce el drenaje. Es importante destacar que el acuífero Epipuelche se recarga por infiltración directa de las lluvias y es fuente de recarga del acuífero Puelche cuando su potencial agua es mayor. La contaminación del agua freática indica un riesgo potencial de contaminación de los acuíferos más profundos
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