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North Carolina is one of the leading states in livestock and poultry production. In 1999, approximately 5.5 million animal units, as defined by USEPA, were grown in the state. Animal production in North Carolina produced approximately 33 million tons of fresh manure in 1999. Animal manures contained 240,000 tons of nitrogen (N), 182,000 tons phosphate (P2O5), 169,000 tons potash (K2O), plus significant quantities of secondary and micronutrients. Current trends in this industry are towards production consolidation and intensification. These efforts, while being sound from an economic and management perspective, often do not give full consideration to the potential environmental impact that can result from the increased generation of animal manure.
Data on manure,
litter, wastewater, and sludge quantities and characteristics are necessary
to assist in the planning, design, and operation of manure collection,
storage, pretreatment, and utilization systems for livestock and poultry
enterprises. Tables 1-98 combine data from a wide base of published
and unpublished information on livestock and poultry manure production
and characterization. Condensed summaries of many of these tables
may be found in the North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual.
These summaries represent typical domestic food animal and poultry species
as well as recreational and draft animals such as horses, dogs, and game
birds. Fresh manure values represent "as voided" feces plus urine.
Different farm management systems within species include:
- paved surface manure scraped within two days either directly into a manure spreader for field spreading or into a short-term storage structure;
- unpaved feedlot manure scraped after each group of animals;
- annual accumulations of poultry manure and litter with sawdust, wood shavings, or peanut hulls as a litter base;
- liquid manure slurry accumulations for 6-12 months including manure, excess water usage, and storage surface rainfall surplus;
- surface liquid or supernatant from an anaerobic treatment lagoon; and
- bottom sludge or biosolids from an anaerobic treatment lagoon.
Actual values vary due to differences
in animal diet, age, usage, productivity, management, and location. Whenever
site-specific data are available or actual sample analyses can be performed,
such information should be considered in lieu of the mean summarized values.
James C. Barker, Professor and Extension Specialist, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, NCSU, Raleigh, NC
Joseph P. Zublena, Professor, Soil Science, NCSU, Raleigh, NC
F.R. Walls, Section Chief, Agronomic Division, NCDA, Raleigh, NC
January 1994, revised 2001
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