N.C. STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
N.C. Agricultural Research Service
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

Animal Waste Management and Water Quality

Prepared by: Philip W. Westerman

Objectives (Long-term)

1. Develop animal waste treatment unit processes and systems that prevent nutrient and organic pollution of surface and ground waters, as well as maintain acceptable air quality.

Objectives (Short-term)

1. Determine ground water impacts of irrigating swine lagoon effluent to sandy soil with high water table.

2. Evaluate solids separation of flushed swine waste for reduced lagoon loading of nutrients and organics, and evaluate characteristics of solids for utilization purposes.

3. Develop unit processes of aerobic and/or aerobic treatment to reduce nutrients and organics in animal wastes.

Accomplishments

1. Determined swine-lagoon liquid irrigation ammonia losses and ground water impact for Coastal bermudagrass plots used for hay and intensive beef-cattle grazing.

2. Determined that previously recommended irrigation rates resulted in excessive nitrate in some ground water monitoring wells located in sandy soil with high water table.

Significance

Irrigation of lagoon liquid at appropriate times and amounts is essential to proper lagoon management and to good crop performance. This research, in combination with previous projects, has helped refine appropriate rates of lagoon liquid irrigation for growing Coastal bermudagrass for hay and intensive beef-cattle grazing. It has also determined that it is difficult to obtain high yield of forages in sandy soil without nitrate leaching to ground water.

Future Plans

1. Evaluate settling basin effectiveness for removing solids (nutrients and organics) from flushed swine wastes.

2. Evaluate enhanced settling basin performance utilizing chemical coagulants and polymers.

3. Evaluate screen and other mechanical devices for removing solids from flushed swine wastes.

4. Evaluate aerobic/anaerobic treatment schemes to reduce nutrients and organics in flushed swine waste.

5. Evaluate or develop unit processes and systems that minimize odors, and manage nutrients and organics in acceptable manner to prevent water pollution.