Emissions of Ammonia, Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide From Dairy Cattle Housing and Manure Management Systems

Leytem, A.B. and Dungan, R.S. and Bjorneberg, D.L. and Koehn, A.C. (2011) Emissions of Ammonia, Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide From Dairy Cattle Housing and Manure Management Systems. Journal of Environmental Quality. 1 September 2011.

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Abstract

Concentrated animal feeding operations emit trace gases such as ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. The implementation of air quality regulations in livestock-producing states increases the need for accurate on-farm determination of emission rates. The objective of this study was to determine the emission rates of NH3, CH4, CO2, and N2O from three source areas (open-lots, lagoon, compost) on a commercial dairy located in southern Idaho. Average emissions per cow per day from the open-lots were 0.12 kg NH3, 0.49 kg CH4, 26.9 kg CO2, and 0.01 kg N2O. Average emissions from the lagoon (g per m square per day) were 1.5 g NH3, 132 g CH4, 391 g CO2, and 0.36 g N2O. Average emissions from the compost facility (g per m square per day) were 1.7 g NH3, 14.8 g CH4, 547 g, and 0.93 g N2O. The combined emissions of NH3, CH4, CO2, and N2O from the lots, lagoon and compost averaged 0.13, 1.5, 33.4, and 0.02 kg per cow per day, respectively. The open lot areas generated the greatest emissions of NH3, CO2, and N2O contributing 76, 75, and 53% to total farm emissions. Methane emissions were greatest from the lots in the spring (71% of total) after which the lagoon became the largest source of emissions (64% of total) for the remainder of the year. Data from this study can be used to develop trace gas emissions factors from open-lot dairies in southern Idaho and potentially other open-lot production systems in similar climatic regions.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1365
Subjects:	Manure Animal Manure > Chemistry
Depositing User:	Users 6 not found.
Date Deposited:	19 Jul 2010 17:13
Last Modified:	04 Jan 2013 18:22
Item ID:	1392
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/1392