EB1719


Animal Manure Data Sheet

By Ronald E. Hermanson, P.E. and Prasanta K. Kalita

You need to understand the properties of animal wastes to solve the problem of their treatment, handling, and disposal.

The physical and chemical properties of animal wastes are affected by the physiology of the animal, the feed ration, and the environment. Size of the animal, as measured by its live weight, is perhaps the most important physiological factor. Sex, breed, and activity of the animal affect the manure properties to the extent that they partially determine the feed conversion efficiency under a given environment. The digestibility of the feed ration, the protein and fiber content, and the nature of the other feed elements also affect the physical composition of the manure. Temperature appears to be the most important factor.

Feed quality influences not only the amount the animal eats daily (which will be reflected in the quantity of manure produced), but also the chemical composition of the waste. Proteins, which contain most of the nitrogen of the feed, vary in digestibility. Nitrogen in the undigested protein is excreted in the solid feces; in the digested proteins, it is absorbed and later excreted in the urine except for the portion that is used to build flesh in the animal. Potassium is absorbed during digestion, but practically all is excreted.

Part of the phosphorus content of the feed is absorbed, but most is excreted in the feces. Feed is spilled on pen floors, hence, is included undigested in the manure collected from the animal pens. Consequently, manure from animals in a confinement building will contain all the ingredients of the feed-some of them in their original form, others in chemically simpler forms.

Most animal rations include antibiotics for disease control. When large doses of these antibiotics are administered to the animals, a sufficient portion may pass through the digestive tract to severely inhibit or at times limit biological treatment of the manure unless the manure is diluted sufficiently that toxic concentrations of the antibiotics do not develop.

Table 1. Livestock manure production and properties
Source: Adapted from American Society of Agricultural Engineers ASAE D384.1 and Midwest Plan Service MWPS-18
 

Wet Raw Manurea

BODb

CODc

Total Solids

Volatile Solids
Animal Weight, lb lb/day ton/yr gal/day cu ft/day MC,d% lb/day lb/day lb/day ton/yr lb/day
Dairy Cow 1400 120 22 14.3 1.9 87 2.2 15.4 16.8 3.0 14.0
Dairy Heifer 1000 86 15.7 10.2 1.4 87 1.6 11.0 12.0 2.2 10.0
Beef Stocker 500 29 5.3 3.5 0.5 88 0.8 3.9 4.3 0.78 3.6
Beef Feeder 1000 58 11e 6.9 1.0 88 1.6 7.8 8.5 1.55 7.2
Beef Cow   63 11.5 7.5 1.0 88 1.7 8.5 9.2 1.68 7.8
Horse 1000 51 9.3 6.0 0.8 80 1.7 15.0 2.70 10.0
Nursery pig 35 2.9 0.54 0.35 0.047 91 0.11 0.29 0.39 0.07 0.30
Growing pig 65 5.5 1.00 0.65 0.089 91 0.20 0.55 0.72 0.13 0.55
Finishing pig 150 12.6 2.30 1.50 0.20 91 0.47 1.26 1.65 0.30 1.28
  200 16.8 3.07 2.00 0.27 91 0.62 1.68 2.20 0.40 1.70
Gestating sow* 275 11.6 2.11 1.38 0.19 91 0.43 1.16 1.51 0.28 1.17
Sow and litter 375 31.5 5.75 3.75 0.51 91 1.16 3.15 4.13 0.75 3.19
Boar* 350 14.7 2.68 1.75 0.24 91 0.54 1.47 1.93 0.35 1.49
Sheep Feeder 100 4 0.73 0.48 0.06 75 0.12 1.10 1.10 0.20 0.92
Laying Hen 4 0.26 0.047 0.030 0.004 75 0.013 0.044 0.064 0.012 0.048
Broiler 2 0.17 0.031 0.020 0.003 75 0.002 0.032 0.044 0.008 0.034
aBulk density of raw manure is about 32 cu ft/ton, or 62 lb/cu ft, or 8.4 lb/gal with no flushing or wash water.
bFive-day biochemical oxygen demand.
cChemical oxygen demand.
dMoisture content.
eEvaporation and decomposition reduce feedlot manure in dry climates to 1 to 2 tons of 50% moisture content manure for a 150- to 180-day feeding period.
*For gestating sows and boars that are limit fed, the Midwest Plan Service recommends using hog feeder data prorated according to weight and divide by 2.
 

Table 2. Fertilizer nutrients in fresh manurea

Source: Adapted from American Society of Agricultural Engineers ASAE D384.1 and Midwest Plan Service MWPS-18
Animal Weight, lb Total Nitrogen Phosphateb Potashc
lb/day lb/yr lb/day lb/yr lb/day lb/yr
Dairy Cow 1400 0.63 230 0.302 110 0.490 179
Dairy Heifer 1000 0.45 164 0.216 79 0.350 128
Beef Stocker 500 0.17 62 0.106 39 0.126 46
Beef Feeder 1000 0.34 124 0.211 77 0.252 92
Beef Cow   0.36 131 0.221 81 0.266 97
Horse 1000 0.30 110 0.162 59 0.301 110
Nursery pig 35 0.018 6.6 0.0144 5.3 0.012 4.5
Growing pig 65 0.033 12 0.0268 9.8 0.023 8.3
Finishing pig 150 0.079 29 0.063 23 0.052 19
200 0.104 38 0.082 30 0.071 26
Gestating sow* 275 0.071 26 0.057 21 0.049 18
Sow and litter 375 0.195 71 0.156 57 0.131 48
Boar* 350 0.091 33 0.072 26 0.061 22
Sheep Feeder 100 0.042 15 0.020 7.3 0.039 14
Laying Hen 4 0.0033 1.2 0.0028 1.0 0.0014 0.53
Broiler 2 0.0022 0.80 0.0014 0.50 0.0009 0.35
aManure fertilizer elements are not completely available to plants.
bP=0.436 P2O5
cK=0.830 K2O
*For gestating sows and boars that are limit fed, the Midwest Plan Service recommends using hog feeder data prorated according to weight and divide by 2.
 

By Ronald E. Hermanson, Ph.D., P.E., Extension Agricultural Engineer
and Prasanta K. Kalita, Ph.D., Research Associate, Biological Systems Engineering Department
College of Agriculture and Home Economics
Washington State University, Pullman, Washington

Issued by Washington State University Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Cooperative Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, and sexual orientation. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Cooperative Extension office. Trade names have been used to simplify information; no endorsement is intended. Revised May 1994.

Subject code 376. A EB1719

 


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