Reduction of ammonia emissions from dairy cattle cubicle houses via improved management- or design-based strategies: A modeling approach

Abstract

Given the current scarcity of empirical data on ammonia (NH3) emissions from dairy cattle under different management-based mitigation techniques, a modeling approach to assess potential NH3 emission reduction factors is needed. This paper introduces a process-based model that estimates NH3 emission reduction factors for a dairy cattle barn featuring single or multiple management-based NH3 emission mitigation techniques, as compared to another barn, to which no mitigation measure is applied. The model accounts for the following emission mitigation measures: (a) floor scraping, (b) floor type, (c) floor flushing with water and (d) indoor acidification of manure. Model sensitivity analysis indicated that manure acidification was the most efficient NH3 emission reduction technique. A fair agreement was observed between reduction factors from the model and empirical estimates found in the literature. We propose a list of combinations of techniques that achieve the largest reductions. In order of efficiency, they are: (a) floor scraping combined with manure acidification (reduction efficiency 44–49%); (b) solid floor combined with scraping and flushing (reduction efficiency 21–27%); (c) floor scraping combined with flushing and (d) floor scraping alone (reduction efficiency 17–22%). The model is currently being used to advise the Flemish Government (Belgium), on the performance of certain NH3 emission reduction systems for dairy barns in Flanders.