Manure Research Articles (Page 1)

Enhancing methane yield from agricultural feedstocks including horse manure and residues: Ball mill pretreatment in full-scale biogas plant.

Urban substrates alter the nutritional composition of an emerging model insect, Tenebrio molitor.

Dual use of isotopic and environmental proxy approaches to trace nitrate sources and biogeochemical pathways in an agro-industrially influenced river basin.

Organic fertilizer is a type of fertilizer derived from natural materials such as plant and animal residues that have undergone specific processing. One form of this is Liquid Organic Fertilizer (LOF), which is typically made from vegetable waste and is easy to produce. The production process of LOF is carried out naturally through fermentation, during which plant residues and animal waste decompose. The main goal of producing LOF is to convert kitchen or household waste into a useful product. This process also aims to identify the most effective method for producing liquid fertilizer by utilizing household organic waste as the main material, enhanced with the addition of EM4 (Effective Microorganisms 4).

The object of this study is the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated in livestock farming, primarily methane (CH4) from enteric fermentation and nitrous oxide (N2O) from manure management processes. The problem under study is the lack of instrumental methods and national programs for measuring and reducing emissions from confined animals, which results in excessive methane release and inefficient manure utilization. Based on inventory data, the results show that annual agricultural emissions amount to 20,982.25 thousand tons of CO2-eq. methane (58% of agricultural GHGs) and 15,239.72 thousand tons of CO2-eq. nitrous oxide (42%), with a total of 319.547 million tons of CO2, 2.313 million tons of CH4, and 0.058 million tons of N2O released in 2018. Interpretation of these results confirms that improper manure storage, outdated technologies, and the absence of biogas recovery systems are the main contributors to elevated GHG emissions worldwide. The distinctive feature of this research is the development of autonomous climate-friendly bioenergy systems equipped with solar collectors and bioreactors that convert animal waste into biogas and organic fertilizer. This innovative technological solution not only explains the mechanisms of emission reduction but also demonstrates how livestock enterprises can generate renewable thermal and electrical energy, covering up to 80–85% of their total energy demand. The practical significance of the study lies in demonstrating how the integration of such biogas technologies can improve environmental safety, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, enhance long-term energy resilience, and promote sustainable agricultural development on a global scale

Veterinary fieldworkers play an important role in managing animal and public health risks, yet they face significant occupational hazards, particularly from zoonotic diseases. In South Africa's North West Province, the occupational health and safety (OHS) of this workforce remains understudied. This study aimed to describe and characterize the OHS practices, zoonotic disease risk exposures, and contributing factors affecting veterinary services fieldworkers in the North West Province. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 137 veterinary fieldworkers, including animal health technicians, state veterinarians, and veterinary public health officers. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire focusing on sociodemographics, knowledge of zoonoses, exposure history, and OHS practices. Descriptive statistics were applied using SPSS version 27. Fieldworkers frequently reported contact with animals, animal waste, and body fluids without consistent access to adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) or comprehensive training. While most were aware of common zoonoses such as rabies and brucellosis, less than half received regular OHS training or vaccinations. Significant associations were found between occupational category and reported PPE use, as well as between knowledge levels and years of experience. This study highlights critical gaps in knowledge of zoonotic disease, inconsistent implementation of safety protocols, and inadequate PPE provision and/or use among veterinary fieldworkers. These findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen occupational health frameworks, standardize training, and improve access to protective resources to safeguard both workers and broader public health.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health issue requiring a coordinated response. This study investigated for the first time the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance phenotypes of bacteria causing infections in Arabian horses, and the potential of bacteriophage therapy for wound treatment. One hundred clinical samples from infected Arabian horses, presenting respiratory disorders, diarrhea, abortion, wound, and ocular infection, were examined using direct sample multiplex PCR and phenotypic methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the recovered isolates was performed using panels of 37 antibiotics and broth microdilution method. Bacteriophages were isolated from horse manure. A bacteriophage cocktail was used for treating infected wounds in Arabian horses. Streptococcus equi was the most predominant pathogen isolated from respiratory infections (17/29, 58.6%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9/29, 31.03%, each), and Escherichia coli (7/29, 24.13%). Staphylococcus aureus and Corynebacterium ovis biovar equi were the most frequently isolated bacteria from pyogenic infections. All isolated bacteria showed resistance to multiple antibiotics. Streptococcus spp. exhibited extensive drug resistance (XDR) with complete resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, amikacin, kanamycin, streptomycin, and cefotaxime. All Staphylococcus spp. displayed multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype. Staphylococci isolates were highly resistant to fusidic acid, β-lactams, and tetracyclines. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, fosfomycin, and cephalosporines were ineffective against Enterobacteriaceae isolates. Ticarcillin, clavulanic acid, and colistin were ineffective against P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Pan-drug-resistant (PDR) P. aeruginosa isolate was detected in the infected wound. Two lytic bacteriophages (vB_Pae_LP125 and vB_Pae_LS225) from the Podoviridea and Siphoviridea families were isolated from the horse manure. Both phages were stable across various temperatures and pH levels. In vitro tests showed significant lytic activity against a wide range of bacterial strains. The DNA genomes of all phages displayed distinctive restriction fragment length polymorphism. A bacteriophage cocktail (vB_Pae_LP125 and vB_Pae_LS225), when combined with gentamicin, improved wound healing in infected horses. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the wound closure % among the gentamicin group and phage cocktaoil+gentamicin groups on days 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14. This study highlights the widespread antibiotic resistance in bacteria infecting Arabian horses and posing significant challenges to equine infection management. Bacteriophage therapy shows promise as a potential treatment for wound infections.

The continuous advancement of the food industry is accompanied by increased generation of animal waste, including poultry feathers. Composting presents a sustainable alternative to disposal methods such as incineration by converting waste into valuable fertilizer products. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of inoculation with the keratinolytic strain Bacillus subtilis P22 on the quality and maturity of compost produced from feathers combined with organic additives (wood shavings and lignite). The experiment involved evaluation of the keratinolytic potential of the tested strain, and characterization of its proteolytic enzymes, solid-state cultures and composting conducted at semi-technical scale. The B. subtilis P22 strain demonstrated the ability to solubilize 78% of feather material within 7 days of cultivation. The keratinolytic enzyme complex was likely dominated by polycatalytic alkaline serine proteases, i.e., subtilisins. The effectiveness of the inoculum was confirmed in laboratory solid-state cultures, where the dry mass loss in inoculated samples was twice that of the control containing only endogenous microflora. At the semi-technical scale, inoculation with B. subtilis P22 significantly accelerated compost maturation and mineralization (C/N = 10.2; N-NH4+/N-NO3− = 0.4; Cw/Corg = 0.9) compared to the control. The final compost’s mineral composition indicates its potential for use as an organic soil amendment.

Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer produced mainly by the activity of earthworms. Its nutrient concentration, development and reproduction of earthworms depend directly on the type of waste processed. The aim of the study was to evaluate the behavior of nutrient concentration and earthworm population development during vermicomposting of different wastes mixed in different proportions. Eighteen waste combinations from three types of manure (cow [C], horse [H] and goat [G]), two plant wastes (vegetable [V] and corn stover [S]), and three proportions of manure:plant waste (50:50, 60:40 and 70:30) were evaluated. A randomized complete block design with a 3 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement was used. The results showed that the chemical properties of the vermicompost were significantly influenced by the type of manure, plant residue, and their proportions. After 90days, the pH of the mixtures remained alkaline, ranging from 8.5 to 9.1 depending on the manure type, while EC decreased markedly, with average reductions of 72%, 66%, and 70% in mixtures with cow, horse, and goat manure, respectively, reaching values below 4 mS cm⁻1, which are suitable for agricultural use. NO₃⁻ concentration initially ranged from 875 to 1800mgkg⁻1 but decreased by up to 41% at 30days; later it increased at 60days and finally declined again at 90days, with final values between 607 and 1667mgkg⁻1 depending on the treatment. K concentration decreased progressively throughout the process, with reductions of 75-80% compared to the initial values, while Ca content increased progressively after 30days, reaching final concentrations of up to 36.7mgkg⁻1, representing increases of more than 200% in some mixtures. Na concentration showed a clear decreasing trend, with reductions of 33-65% at the end of the process, with lower final values observed in mixtures with corn stover. These results demonstrate that the dynamics of nutrient availability during vermicomposting depend strongly on the type and proportion of organic residues used, and that the final vermicomposts showed EC and nutrient values suitable for agricultural use.

Cattle manure as a source of antibiotic resistance genes: Case study with samples across Indian states.

Cytotoxicity, biochemical, histological and gut microbiota changes in Eisenia fetida earthworms after exposure to different sulfamethoxazole and oxytetracycline concentrations.

The production of cement is growing every year due to its higher consumption in the construction industries. Several studies have been carried out that focus on the possibility of alternative cementing materials such as Industrial and agricultural wastes. Rice husk is one of such agricultural residues and cattle bone is animal waste that are available but didn’t get much attention as alternative cementing material. This study aimed to investigate the effect of partial replacement of cement by combining cattle bone ash and rice husk ash mix in cement mortar at 0%, 5% 10% 15% and 20% by volume of cement. The workability test, compressive strength, Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity, water absorption, and sulfate attack tests were conducted for different curing ages (3, 7, 28, 56, and 90 day). In addition, the morphology scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area test, complete silicate analysis test was conducted. Compressive strength increases with an increment of from 0 to 10% replacement at 28 days of curing from 31.5 to 45.9 MPa and slightly decreased beyond 15–20% replacement with 39.9 MPa and 30.6 MPa. The result revealed that the mechanical performance of mortar indicated enhancement of calcium silicate hydrate gel, thus reduce the porosity of cement matric. Under scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image, mortar sample possessed a dense matrix with a widespread presence of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) gels.

Antarctica harbors a diverse spectrum of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) across lake, soil, and seawater environments. However, linkages between resistomes in waste-impacted and pristine settings are not well understood in polar settings, especially how phage, plasmids, and microbial community assembly influence the spatial distribution of ARGs. Metagenomic sequencing of 85 Antarctic samples showed 10-fold greater ARG abundances near animal and human waste-impacted sites compared with more remote settings, including glacial, lake, soil, and offshore seawater sites (-1.9 to -0.1 log10(ARGs/cell), P < 0.01), although (except for glaciers) resistome compositions were broadly similar. Based on metagenomic data, plasmids appear to be more associated with ARGs than phages in the Antarctic samples, with Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, and Mycobacterium being primarily associated with ARG prevalence because they dominate local microbial assemblages. These primary taxa exhibit wide cross-setting prevalence and are not significantly impacted by local environmental selection (P > 0.05, SNPs-RDA). As such, human- and animal-waste-impacted locations, which have higher microbial migration rates (m = 10.8, NCM), are primary sources of ARG-containing and assembly predominant bacteria in Antarctic settings. Thus, better management of waste releases from human settlements must be central to retaining "pristine" Antarctic environments against the globally expanding resistomes.

Currently, researchers are exploring alternative phosphorus sources for agricultural production that are more sustainable than rock phosphate. In this context, the recovery of phosphorus from organic wastes as struvite can constitute an important tool for promoting circular economy practices and reducing the risk of phosphorus contamination through eutrophication. Struvite recovery has been widely developed using different organic wastes with high concentrations of N and P, such as industrial, municipal and animal wastes, mainly in the form of effluents. However, little information is available concerning phosphorus recovery in the form of struvite from sewage sludge samples, these processes being mainly based on chemical procedures. Therefore, the main aim of this work was to study phosphorus recovery from three sewage sludge samples from different wastewater treatment plants (SS1, SS2 and SS3), in comparison with the solid fraction of pig manure (M), through an optimized bioacidification process, as well as to evaluate the potential for struvite precipitation from the recovered P-rich supernatants. Protein recovery through alkaline treatment of the remaining precipitates was also studied. The results obtained showed the feasibility of the optimized bioacidification process for P recovery, especially in the samples M and SS3, which showed the highest P recovery yields (65.7% and 69%, respectively) and the best results regarding struvite formation. In addition, the protein recovery efficiency of the remaining solid residues ranged from 59.3% to 67.4%, without showing a clear influence of the type of organic waste used.

Microbiome engineering has emerged as a promising strategy to drive biotechnological developments across diverse fields. Microbiome-based fertilizers could significantly contribute to the gradual replacement of synthetic chemical fertilizers, potentially leading to substantial environmental and economic impacts. This study employed microbiome engineering to develop a self-assembled nitrogen-fixing microbial community utilizing carbon compounds from animal waste. This was achieved by enriching soil samples in bioreactors supplied with nitrogen via air pumping and fed with volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as the only carbon source. VFAs are the most common by-products of anaerobic waste fermentation. Results show a self-assembled community, dominated by Sinirhodobacter spp. (44.4%), Aureimonas spp. (17.7%), and Taibaiella spp. (12.4%), capable of fixing 2.7 times more nitrogen than the initial microbiome. During cultivation, inorganic nitrogen forms were detected in the supernatant at concentrations of up to 12.7 mg·L−1. Once the self-assembled community was inoculated in tomato plants, Pseudomonas spp. and Exiguobacterium spp. became the most abundant and significantly enhanced tomato plant growth in both hydroponic and soil-based systems. Plant height and yield were comparable to those achieved with conventional synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. This study shows the potential of this methodology for developing effective biofertilizers while promoting a circular economy strategy that transforms waste into high-value bioproducts. This approach, combined with the simplicity of the bioreactor system, offers a viable and sustainable solution for developing countries with limited technological resources, and materializes the One Health vision while simultaneously protecting the health of people, crops, and animals.

ABSTRACT A comprehensive assessment of long-term fertilizer experiments based on soil health, crop productivity and profitability of particular cropping system is important to evaluate their sustainability. With this objective, soil indicators and yield data recorded from long-term fertilizer experiments (LTFEs) started in 1995–96 with soybean-wheat system. The experiment comprised a total of seven treatments, where six were applied to the wheat crop including control (CK), organic manure (M), inorganic fertilizers (NPK), integrated (MNPK), only nitrogen (N), nitrogen with organic manure (MN), while the seventh treatment involved the use of mineral fertilizers (NPK+NPK) in both the crops. Among different indexing method principal component analysis (PCA) based nonlinear scoring function (NLSF) showed higher sensitivity (1.76) and correlation with yield (0.77) than unscreened transformation (1.44 and 0.71, respectively). The use of organic manure alone or along with chemical fertilizer improved soil physical, chemical and biological property and provided a significantly higher PCA-based soil quality index (SQI) (0.721–0.644) than control (0.482) and NPK alone (0.536). Long-term use of N alone (urea) reduced system yield and provided a negative yield trend (−0.394 q ha−1 year−1) while its conjoint use with 10 tonnes organic manure (M) improved soil quality and ensured productivity and profitability equal to MNPK. The results suggest that organic manure application along with N or NPK sustain both long- and short-term productivity, improve soil health and provide greater profitability in soybean wheat cropping system in the north-western Himalayan region.

Converting pig manure into biochar mitigates the antibiotic resistance of vegetable endophytes.

This study aims to analyze the development planning strategy of the Environmental Study Tourism Park (TWSL) in Probolinggo City using six indicators of tourism development strategy according to Suwantoro (2015), namely: promotion, accessibility, tourist areas, types of tourist attractions, tourist products, and human resources. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection techniques through interviews, observations, and documentation. The results of the study indicate that the management of TWSL has progressed in terms of cleanliness, infrastructure, and environmental education. One of the leading programs, namely "Adek Dewa PLH", provides educational services to visitors, especially students, through interactive activities such as animal feeding, storytelling, and recycling activities. Organic waste management has also been carried out sustainably, where leaves and animal waste are recycled into compost as part of environmental conservation practices. However, this study also identified several obstacles, such as lack of directions to the location, weak digital promotion, budget constraints, lack of synergy between government agencies, and low community participation. Thus, the future TWSL development strategy needs to be directed more holistically and integrated. Short-term planning should focus on improving navigation and promotion, while medium- and long-term planning should include community empowerment, cross-sector partnerships, and regional expansion. Continuous collaborative efforts are needed for TWSL to develop into a superior and competitive environmental education tourism destination. Keywords : TWSL, planning strategy, educational tourism, environmental management, sustainable tourism

The dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and genes is one factor responsible for the increasing antibiotic resistance and the environment plays a role in resistance spread. Animal excreta can contribute to the contamination of the environment with ARBs and antibiotics and in some cases, environmental bacteria under antibiotic pressure may acquire antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from ARBs by horizontal gene transfer. In Guadeloupe, a French overseas department, organic amendments derived from human and animal waste are widely used in soil fertilization, but their contribution to antibiotic resistance remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of composting animal and human raw waste and the repeated application of their derived-composts, on the fate of ARGs and antibiotic resistant Enterobacteria, for the first time, in tropical soils of Guadeloupe used for vegetable production. An unculturable approach was used to characterize the bacterial community composition and ARG content from raw waste to composts. A cultivable approach was used to enumerate Enterobacteria, and resistant isolates were further characterized phenotypically and genotypically. Based on this original approach, we demonstrated that the raw poultry droppings exhibited a depletion of Escherichia and Shigella populations during the composting treatment, which was corroborated by the results on the culturable resistant Enterobacteria. Significant differences in the abundance of ARGs were also observed, with some gene levels increasing or decreasing after composting. In addition, other bacterial genera potentially involved in the spread of antimicrobial resistance were identified. Taken together, these results demonstrate that successive applications of raw waste-derived-composts from green waste, sewage sludge, and poultry droppings reshape the Enterobacterial community and influences the abundance of ARGs, with some gene levels increasing or decreasing, in Guadeloupe’s tropical vegetable production soils.

Hill horticulture faces numerous constraints, including soil erosion, landslides, water scarcity, unique cropping seasons and limited access to extension services and technologies. The Nilgiris, labelled as the "Organic District of Tamil Nadu," serves as an ideal setting to assess farmers’ awareness, adoption and challenges related to Sustainable Horticultural Practices (SHP). This study focused on 320 farmers across four blocks: Coonoor, Ooty, Gudalur and Kothagiri, with an emphasis on hill-top vegetables such as potato, carrot, cabbage and cauliflower. The findings present a mixed scenario. While most farmers were aware of SHP, only 55.00 % adopted erosion control measures and 60.63 % practiced integrated pest, disease, nutrient and irrigation management. Some practices, such as improved filtration runoff (69.37 %) and animal waste management (66.25 %), were more widely adopted. However, significant challenges were noted, including limited time to track market trends for hill vegetables (68.00 %) and high transportation costs (67.00 %). The leading source of contamination was wild animal intrusion (94.38 %), followed by improper animal waste decomposition (81.56 %). Workers’ hygiene was identified as a contamination risk by 73.13 % of respondents, while transport containers and biosecurity breaches were reported by 65.63 % and 64.69 %, respectively. This study underscores the necessity to promote SHP adoption to address these numerous constraints. Enhancing farmers’ knowledge and practices can significantly improve horticultural sustainability and foster development in the hilly regions.