Clare Wright shows how a new era in manure composting may be emerging on the Prairies.
It’s an era in which the benefits of composting outweigh the costs, even for large livestock operations and that creates new business opportunities.
Wright manages Enhanced Plant Systems Ltd., a venture formed from a family farm enterprise owned by David and Diane Rourke of Minto, Man. Enhanced Plant Systems arose from the farm’s efforts to find an effective way to compost manure from its 22 hog barns.
During Manitoba Ag Days last week in Brandon, Wright said the company has extended its services to two other hog operations in the area, and it intends to build its clientele.
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One of the keys, he said, is the reduction in material that must be hauled to the fields. The farmers found that the moisture content of manure before it was composted could range between 65 and 70 percent, adding to the bulk that needed to be hauled and spread. However, composted manure can have a moisture content below 30 percent and the material has less bulk.
“The cost of composting is offset by the reduced hauling costs.”
The composting helped remove the inconsistency of the manure from the hog barns, which are bedded with straw. When the barns are cleaned, the material ranges from wet material to dry straw.
Wright described the final composted product as homogenous, stable and free of odours. Its nutrient value is at least $50 per tonne, he said.
That value is understood when managing the composted manure as a crop fertilizer. A typical estimate is that half the nitrogen in that manure will be available to the crop in the first year. Half of the remaining nitrogen will be available in the second year, although there can be considerable variations depending on factors such as weather.
Once the composting is complete, the nitrogen is stabilized, said Wright, so there is little leaching of the nutrient. However, he did note that “a fair bit” nitrogen is lost as ammonia during composting.
Soil testing helps determine how much composted manure should be applied to a field. The compost is also tested for its nutrient value. Commercial fertilizer is used to top up additional nitrogen requirements.
Wright said the company strives to avoid overapplying the manure to a field and keeps environmental concerns in mind, such as an overaccumulation of phosphates and nitrates.
