Brazilian beef cattle feedlot manure management: A country survey

Autor(es)

Costa Junior, C. ^[1] ; Goulart, R. S. ^[2] ; Albertini, T. Z. ^[3] ; Feigl, B. J. ^[1] ; Cerri, C. E. P. ^[4] ; Vasconcelos, J. T. ^[5] ; Bernoux, M. ^[6] ; Lanna, D. P. D. ^[7] ; Cerri, C. C. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr, Lab Biogeochem, BR-13416000 Piracicaba - Brazil

^[2] Merck Anim Hlth, BR-04794000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Embrapa Agr Informat, Lab Computat Math, BR-13083886 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, Dept Soil Sci, BR-13418900 Piracicaba - Brazil

^[5] Merck Anim Hlth, Summit, NJ 07901 - USA

^[6] Inst Rech Dev, UMR Eco & Sols, F-34060 Montpellier - France

^[7] Univ Sao Paulo, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, Dept Anim Prod, BR-13418900 Piracicaba - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE; v. 91, n. 4, p. 1811-1818, APR 2013.
• Citações Web of Science: 13

Resumo

No information regarding the management of manure from beef cattle feedlots is available for Brazil. To fill this knowledge gap, a survey of 73 feedlots was conducted in 7 Brazilian states. In this survey, questions were asked regarding animal characteristics, their diets, and manure handling management from generation to disposal. These feedlots finished 831,450 animals in 2010. The predominant breed fed was Nellore, with average feeding periods of 60 to 135 d. Corn was the primary source of grain used in the feedlot diets (76% of surveyed animals) with concentrate inclusion levels ranging from 81 to 90% (38% of surveyed animals). The most representative manure management practice was the removal of manure from pens only at the end of the feeding period. Subsequently, the manure was stored in mounds before being applied to crop and pasture lands. Runoff, mainly from rainwater, was collected in retention ponds and used for agriculture. However, the quantity of runoff was not known. Manure was composted for only 20% of the animals in the survey and was treated in anaerobic digesters for only 1% of the animals. Manure from 59% of the cattle surveyed was used as fertilizer, providing a cost savings over the use of synthetic fertilizers. Overall, chemical analysis of the manure before application to fields was conducted for the manure of 56% of the surveyed animals, but the exact quantity applied (per hectare) was unknown for 48%. Feedlots representing 48% of the surveyed animals noted similar or greater crop and pasture yields when using manure, rather than synthetic fertilizers. In addition, 32% mentioned an increase in soil organic matter. Feedlots representing 88% of the surveyed cattle indicated that information concerning management practices that improve manure use efficiency is lacking. Feedlots representing 93% of the animals in the survey reported having basic information regarding the generation of energy and fertilizer with anaerobic digesters. However, only 1 feedlot implemented this technology. In conclusion, the manure management evaluated in this study represents an important indirect economic benefit that was represented by decreased use of synthetic fertilizers in crops. However, little attention was given to the specific treatments and environmental impacts of handling manure. This survey provides information that should assist in the development of better research practices and broader application of future models. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 10/17837-2 - Balanço dos gases do efeito estufa na pecuária bovina de corte no Centro-Oeste do Brasil: bases técnicas para pecuária de baixo carbono
• Beneficiário: Carlos Clemente Cerri
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 10/05111-7 - Emissões de metano e óxido nitroso pelo manejo dos dejetos de bovinos de corte confinados no Brasil: caracterização, medidas experimentais e modelagem matemática.
• Beneficiário: Ciniro Costa Junior
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado