Abstract
Mixing ground swine carcasses with the manure waste stream is a new concept currently being researched as an alternative carcass-disposal method. A concern has been raised with this method regarding increased odor and hydrogen sulfide emissions. Four pairs of 750-L (200-gal) polyethylene tanks were filled with swine waste and ground swine carcass material. Each pair received carcass material at the rate of 1%, 2%, or 4% (dry-matter basis) of the swine waste or received no carcass material (control). Odor analysis was determined using a dynamic olfactometer. Hydrogen sulfide gas concentration was determined using a Jerome meter. Statistical analysis was performed over the complete data set and in numerous subsets. There were no significant differences in odor unit or hydrogen sulfide concentration across any of the four treatments. The data suggests that ground carcasses can be mixed into the manure stream at a rate up to 4% (dry-matter basis) without significantly increasing odor emission above existing swine manure emission, as indicated by odor unit and hydrogen sulfide concentration. However, a more reasonable upper limit of inclusion might be 2% carcass material (dry-matter basis), based on analysis of the air samples collected five days after the initial addition of carcass material to swine waste.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 331-335 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Applied Engineering in Agriculture |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| State | Published - Jul 1 1999 |