Research Information System
2000 ASAE Annual International Meeting, Technical Papers: Engineering Solutions for a New Century, Milwaukee, WI., United States Of America, 9 - 12 July 2000, vol.2, pp.5009-5022, (Full Text)
Swine manure and wood shavings used as a drying bed were removed from a High-Rise™ hog facility following two production cycles. The manure was composted in aerated pilot-scale vessels for 4 weeks or a mechanically turned windrow for 10 weeks. Total dry matter losses during the pilot-scale studies were 30 and 32.5 % for continuously and intermittently aerated systems, respectively. Compost from both systems was stable with emission rates of 0.07-0.11 mgcoa h -1 g vs -1. Moisture, O 2, CO 2 and NH 3 use/losses during the process as well as chemical properties of the initial and composted manure are presented. Incorporation of the compost at a 5% amendment rate (v/v) into a standard pine bark container medium significantly (P = 0.05) increased growth of four woody plant species. Higher amendment rates were toxic to some plants due to high initial NH 4 + concentrations in the medium. The compost significantly (P=0.05) increased, growth and suppressed Pythium root rot of poinsettia when incorporated at 10% (v/v) into a standard sphagnum peat mix. The compost can be utilized as a value-added disease-suppressive product in the ornamentals industry.