Autores UPV
Antezana Julián Walter Orestes,
de Blas C.,
García-Rebollar P.,
Carlos Rodríguez,
Beccaccia A.,
Ferrer Riera Pablo,
Cerisuelo García Alba,
Moset Hernández Verónica,
Estellés Barber Fernando,
Cambra López María,
Calvet Sanz Salvador
Abstract
Abstract Pig slurry is a valuable fertilizer for crop
production but at the same time its management may
pose environmental risks. Slurry samples were collected
from 77 commercial farms of four animal categories
(gestating and lactating sows, nursery piglets and
growing pigs) and analyzed for macronutrients,
micronutrients, heavy metals and volatile fatty acids.
Emissions of ammonia (NH3) and biochemical methane
potential (BMP) were quantified. Slurry electrical
conductivity, pH, dry matter content and ash content
were also determined. Data analysis included an
analysis of correlations among variables, the development
of predictionmodels for gaseousemissions and the
analysis of nutritional content of slurries for crop
production. Descriptive information is provided in this
work and shows a wide range of variability in all studied
variables. Animal category affected some physicochemical
parameters, probably as a consequence of
different slurry management and use of cleaning water.
Slurries from gestating sows and growing pigs tended to
be more concentrated in nutrients, whereas the slurry
from lactating sows and nursery piglets tended to be
more diluted. Relevant relationships were found among
slurry characteristics expressed in fresh basis and gas
emissions. Predictivemodels using on-farmmeasurable
parameterswere obtained forNH3 (R2 = 0.51) andCH4
(R2 = 0.76), which suggests that BMP may be estimated
in commercial farms from easily determined
slurry characteristics. Finally, slurry nutrient composition
was highly variable. Therefore, complete analyses
of slurries should be performed for an effective and
environmental friendly land application.
