Protection of Water Quality:

Abstract

Intensive animal production systems produce concentrated animal wastes. Livestock producers should recognize the threat their operations may pose to surface and ground water quality. More than 100 million tons of dry livestock and poultry manures are produced annually in the United States, translating to more than one billion tons of manure on a wet basis. Emerging innovative approaches to animal waste management including composting, biogas generation, thermochemical conversion, fiber recovery, and use of ammonia-absorbing zeolite amendments and bacteria inoculants. Proper management of livestock waste can be affected through application of best management practices (BMPs), as components of integrated resource management (IRM) programs. Those involved in designing livestock waste systems should strive for operational simplicity in meeting the following four objectives: (1) pollution control, (2) operational efficiency, (3) manure nutrient utilization, and (4) source and nuisance reduction. Adequate manur...