Effective Animal Waste Management Systems

Effective Animal Waste Management Systems!

Animal waste contains many beneficial constituents that if recycled effectively, can be used as fertilizer for crops, fodder for animals and to produce energy. Animal manure is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In addition to providing supplemental nutrients for crop growth, manure has several beneficial effects on soil properties. Application of organic waste decreases the bulk density of the soil by increasing both the organic fraction of the soil and the stability of aggregates.

Organic wastes also improves water filtration rate, water holding capacity and the hydraulic conductivity of the soil. All these properties of animal waste will be available only if they are carefully managed. If not they might cause detrimental effects on the environment.

The most common environment concern with animal wastes is that it affects the atmospheric air with offensive odors, release of large quantities of CO2 and ammonia which might contribute to acid rain and the green house effect.


It could also pollute water sources and be instrumental in spreading infectious diseases. If the disposal of water is not properly planned it might create social tension owing to the release of odors and contamination of water sources.

Proper disposal and returning of nutrients back in the soil without pollution and spreading of diseases/pathogens, is required for efficient utilization of wastes on large farms.

Two types of animal waste are produced:

(i) Solid waste (dung).


(ii) Slurry.

Different methods for disposing solid waste and slurry are used. Handling and utilization of slurry is more difficult. Various methods for the disposal of these wastes along with its efficient utilization are shown in Fig. 50.1.

Farm Waste Disposal and Utilisation

Solid manure (cow dung) contains:


Solid manure (cow dung) contains

Utilization of these nutrients by proper technique is highly desirable for efficient utilization of the animal wastes.

Various techniques used are:

1. Composting.


2. Biogas production (anaerobic fermentation).

3. Aerobic oxidation in ditches/Lagoons/lakes.

4. Direct application in field.

5. Use as fish feed in fish ponds.

6. For growing algae (diluted slurry).

7. Other techniques (less popular) recycling as filler in animal feed (i.e. poultry waste in cattle feed, etc.).

Out of the above mentioned techniques most commonly employed are:

(i) Composting

(ii) Biogas production (anaerobic fermentation)

(iii) Direct application or application of slurry after aerobic oxidation.

Disposal of Manure:

Frequency of Removal of Manure: Twice daily

Solid Manure:

By means of wheel barrow and shovel, disposed into a pit for decomposition. Such manure will return 75 per cent of its fertilizing value to soil. Manure pits should be about 200 meters away in a place where no foul smell would pass through buildings.

The production of manure from each dairy cow is about 20 kg per day. The volumetric capacity of fresh manure is 700 to 900 kg/cu.m described by R.G. Linton.

Collection of Manure:

Construction of manure pits depends upon the management practice followed in a farm. The first method may be in which manure along with other waste is flushed together and in the second method the solid and liquid wastes are separated and used as manure.

The first method can be adopted in places where there is plenty of water to be forced and also in buffalo farms where the dung voided is watery in consistency. In these types of Animal sheds a U-shaped gutter or drain should be located longitudinally to the long axis of the shed. Outside the shed the liquid manure from each shed can be connected to a main shed preferably a closed one.

The main drain leads the liquid water to a liquid storage tank from where it can be pumped to agricultural lands for manuring.

In the latter method where solid and liquid manure are separated, a special pit has to be constructed to allow the solid waste to get decomposed. The pit should be far away from water sources, animal and human habitations to avoid fly menace and spread of diseases.

While planning for constructing a pit due attention should be given to the labor required in transporting and the mode by which the manure will be shifted to the pit.


In composting pile of solid waste is collected in pit 1.5 m deep and 3×4 meter dimension or large as per requirement (3 cubic meter/adult animal units) as per one design (Allnutt design described by R.G. Linton). This design has two pits with walls on all three sides covered on top with temporary roof to prevent desiccation, and alternative filing and emptying has been suggested.

The front side should have a gutter which should be filled with cresol and water to control fly breeding and the front side should have a vertical sliding shutter to prevent debris falling into the gutter. The manure should be dumped and well packed in each compartment separately. While one is filled and packed, fermentation and decomposition occurs in the other which was filled earlier.

The manure should be turned periodically to ensure uniform decomposition; this also enhances the destruction of larvae of parasites that are normally present in the dung. 

Allnutt's Model of Compost Pit

During composting frequent mixing of waste is required. The manure from other livestock farms like sheep, goat, pig and poultry can be decomposed in the similar manner. After piling within 24 hours temperature rises to 50°C and within 3-8 days it reaches to 70°C. Thereafter it falls to 50°C. C: N ratio and moisture are important in this process.

Vermicompost: A Bonus for Livestock Farmer:

Vermicompost is organic manure produced from the cast of earth worms especially Eisenia, Eudrillus, Perionyx, Dolvin species from agriculture and livestock waste. It is rich in N, P and K with several micronutrients, enzymes (proteases, amylases, lipase, cellulose and chitinase), plant growth hormones (auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins) and some nitrogen fixing bacteria (Pseudomonas, Actinomycetes, etc.) which enrich the nutritive value of vermicompost.

Though vermicompost is not comparable with chemical fertilizer but its application in soil improve soil structure, texture, water holding capacity, facilitates aeration and prevents soil erosion, thereby healthy, non toxic and tasty food can be produced from soil without any hazardous effect on health of human beings and animals.

The method of preparation is very simple and cost effective, which can be easily adopted by rural farmers for their benefit. Further, vermicomposting, as a technique, can effectively handle the huge amount of waste from agricultural and livestock source. This will undoubtedly add to prosperity of rural people by providing a healthy, wealthy and worthy environment.

Biogas Production:

(Anaerobic fermentation) This is one of the best methods for waste disposal and utilization and extensively exploited in Japan and China.In this process organic matter is converted into volatile fatty acids which is in turn by the action of anaerobic bacteria (methanigenic bacteria) is converted to CH4 and CO2. The slurry is valuable product for using in fields.

Aerobic Oxidation:

Slurry can be disposed by keeping it in shallow ditches, lagoon, and lakes. BOD (Biological oxygen demand) per acre is generally 20 for proper oxidation. Large areas are required and periodically solid sludge has to be removed. Upper water is used for irrigation after mixing with fresh water or directly also.

In a Liquid Form by Means of Lagoon:

Lagoon is a body of water like a small pond where in liquid manure is discharged and digested by bacterial action. In this method fertility value of manure is wasted but helps in saving of equipment and labor which may compensate the loss.

Pens are scraped and washed daily with water under pressure 75 Ibs./sq” inch and 500 gallons water per hour. This is run into lagoon which should hold at least one week accumulation of manure @ 20 kg/cow/day.

Bacterial Action in Lagoon:

(i) Aerobic:

By aerobic bacteria in the presence of air/oxygen.

(ii) Anaerobic:

By green algae which use carbon dioxide, nitrate and other nutrients and in turn gives off oxygen for aerobic bacteria for oxidizing waste materials. Anaerobic bacteria also take over to decompose the waste materials which may produce undesirable odor too.

Water in Lagoon. Should be kept filled with water.

Depth of Lagoon. Approximately two meters.

Size of Lagoon. @ 6.5 m2/cow.

Location. 200 meters away from sties and prevent direction of prevailing winds. Precautions:

(i) Provide safety fence around lagoon to make dog and child proof.

(ii) Make the bottom leveled and impervious.

(iii) Clean the lagoon once in 5 to 8 years or when necessary to remove accumulated sludge if filled up to depth of one meter.

Direct Application of Waste in the Farm Land:

When large farm land not in productive use is available then direct application of solid waste by spreading or slurry by sprawling can be carried but this method is not an efficient method of utilization of farm waste due to loss of nutrients, problem of pathogens and sometimes causing toxicities to the plant grown on this type of land.

Solid Waste Management:

Solid wastes are the waste arising from human and animal activities that are normally solid and discarded as useless, or unwanted.

Solid waste management includes following aspects:

1. Identification of various types of solid waste and their sources.

2. Examination of Physical and Chemical composition of waste.

3. Elements involved in the management of these waste.

Classification of solid waste:

On the basis of physical and chemical composition.

It is categorized into three groups:

(i) Municipal waste:

Food waste, rubbish residues constituents, ashes, constructional waste, special waste, treatment plant waste, road side litters, dead animals and abundance vehicle are municipal waste.

(ii) Industrial waste:

Rubbish, demolition waste and hazardous waste.

(iii) Hazardous waste:

Waste that cause substantial danger immediately for over a period of time of human beings, plants or animal life, are classified as hazardous waste.

These have following characteristics:

(a) Eligibility (b) Ferocity

(c) Reactivity (d) Toxicity.

Source of Solid Waste:

1. Garbage or food waste:

These are meat, food stuff, fruit or vegetable residues which decompose rapidly specially in warm weather.

2. Rubbish:

These are of two types:

(a) Combustable:

Paper, card-board, textiles, etc.

(b) Non-combustable:

Metal, crockery, tincanes.

3. Agricultural waste:

These include crop residues etc.

4. Industrial waste:

Fly ash, sewage, chemicals, metals, unglazed porcelain battery pot etc.

5. Hazardous waste:

Radioactive waste, toxic chemicals and explosives hospital waste etc.

6. Pathological waste:

Characters of animals, slaughter house waste, etc.

7. Constructional waste:

Stones, bricks, concretes and Sanitary Parts etc.

8. Aquatic weeds:

These are a menace because of their profile growth. They increase waste borne disease.

Functional elements of Solid Waste Management:

Management of solid waste from point of generation to find disposal have been grouped into six elements viz.

(i) Waste generation.

(ii) Onsite handling, storage and processing.

(iii) Collection.

(iv) Transfer and transport.

(v) Processing or recover.

(vi) Disposal.

Inter-relationship of functional elements comprising of a solid waste management system:

Inter-Relationship of Functional Elements Comprising of a Solid Waste Management System

Estimation of solid waste quantities:

1. Load Count Analysis:

In this method the quantity and composition of solid waste are determined by recording the estimated volume and general composition of each load of waste delivered to a land fill or, transportation during a specified period of time.

2. Mass-Volume Analysis:

This method of analysis is similar to above method with the added feature that the mass of each load is also recorded.

Factors affecting the generation rate:

1. Geographical rotation.

2. Season of the year.

3. Collection of frequency.

4. Use of kitchen waste gridness.

5. Characteristics of population.

6. Extent of salvaging and recycling.

7. Public attitude.

Causes of solid waste pollution:

(a) Overpopulation:

Solid waste pollution increases with increase in population.

(b) Effluence:

With effluence, there is tendency to declare items as being in or out of fashion and promptly thrown away the once out the fashion,

(c) Technology:

Packaging is largely responsible for causing solid waste pollution because packaging materials like plastic bags and cans are non-bio-degradable.

Effect of solid waste pollution:

1. Health hazards:

Improper handling of solid waste is a health hazard specially for then workers who come in direct contact with the waste. Rat spread many diseases like Plague, Salmonellosis, anaemic typhoid through direct bite. These feed on refuse dumps; human forces etc. from where they migrate to food and water and result in transmission of many diseases like diahoerrea, dysentery and amoebic dysentery in human being.

2. Environmental impacts:

The organic solid wastes undergo decomposition and the air with obnoxious odor, burning of these waste produce smokes and causes air pollution specially the noxious gases given off by the burning of plastic containers.

Control measures for urban Industrial Waste:

Solid waste management is a many fold task involving many activities like:

(a) Collection of solid waste.

(b) Disposal of solid waste.

(c) Waste utilization.

(a) Collection of solid waste contains three basic methods:

(i) Community Storage Point.

(ii) Curbside Collection.

(iii) Block Collection.

(b) Disposal of solid waste:

(i) Salvage on Manual Component separation.

(ii) Compact on or, Mechanical Volume reduction.

(iii) Thermal Volume reduction.

(iv) Open dumping.

(v) Sanitary land filling.

(vi) Destructive distillation.

(vii) Composting or Bio-degradation.

(c) Waste utilization:

By proper utilization of solid waste we can avail of many advantages like:

(i) Waste utilization directly or, indirectly contribute to economic advantage,

(ii) Waste utilization generates employment opportunity.

(iii) Waste utilization helps in conservation of natural resources.

Organic Livestock Farming:

Livestock keeping at farms is an age-old practice. Livestock play major role in organic agriculture as the intermediary between the utilization of crop residues or fodder produced at the farm and the return of nutrients as manure.

Dairying in particular has helped number of small and marginal farmers to improve their home. Field survey revealed that marginal and small farmers, even in progressive states like Punjab, have helped to raise farm profitability as well as availability of cattle dung in sufficient amounts.

Storage and application of their resources seldom attract proper attention of the farmers resulting in 40-60% losses in nutrients, especially N. Leaching of NO3-N polluting the ground and surface water resources is usually observed from cattle dung pits.

Organic farmers and farming methods take adequate care in minimizing these losses through adoption of technologies on composting, vermi-composting etc. This not only improves the nutrients availability from organic sources but also prevent potential hazard of ground water pollution.

Organic farms and food production systems are quite distinct from conventional farms in terms of nutrient management strategies. Organic systems adopt management options with the primary aim to develop holistic farms, like a living organism with balanced growth, in both crops and livestock holding.

Organic farming systems can deliver agronomic and environmental benefits both through structural changes and tactical management of farming systems. The benefits of organic farming are relevant both to developed nations (environmental protection, biodiversity enhancement, reduced energy use of CO2 emission) and to developing countries like India (sustainable resource use, increased yields without over-reliance on costly external inputs, environment and biodiversity protection, etc.


In our country as most animals are reared in close association with human dwellings, due care should be taken to ensure for hygienic maintenance of cattle shed.

It is on public health interest that the manure should be promptly disposed and utilized in a proper way to conserve the manorial quality and also to prevent spread of diseases through insect vectors.

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