Greenhouse gas emissions from dung, urine and dairy pond sludge applied to pasture. 2. Methane emissions
K. B. Kelly A C , G. N. Ward B and J. W. Hollier A BA Agriculture Victoria, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Tatura, Vic. 3616, Australia.
B Agriculture Victoria, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Warrnambool, Vic. 3280, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: kevin.kelly@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Animal Production Science 58(6) 1094-1099 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15638
Submitted: 21 September 2015 Accepted: 4 January 2016 Published: 20 April 2016
Abstract
Soil is known to be both a source and a sink for methane (CH4), while animal wastes can be a source. In experiments primarily designed to measure nitrous oxide emissions from the application of dairy cow urine, dung and pond sludge to pasture, CH4 emissions were also measured. Daily emissions from nil and urine treatments were the same and ranged from –7.1 × 10–3 to 6.4 × 10–3 kg CH4/ha.day and were strongly related to soil water content. Dung applied in September 2013 at 11 160 kg volatile solids (VS)/ha resulted in an immediate increase in flux, peaking at 1.7 kg CH4/ha.day on the day of application, and persisted for 35 days on a Chromosol soil type. Cumulative emissions (245 days) were 22.5 kg CH4/ha higher for dung than for no dung treatments, equating to 1.94 × 10–3 kg CH4/kg VS. Emissions were elevated for 5 days after the application of sludge (6680 kg VS/ha) in May 2014, with 80% of CH4 emissions in the first 24 h when applied to a Chromosol soil type. Where individual dung pats were applied in May, August and November 2014, and January 2015, at 5110, 3610, 4290 and 5350 kg VS/ha, respectively, emissions were elevated for up to 30 days after application, with cumulative net emissions (over 50 days) of 2.7, 4.7, 3.7 and 4.4 kg CH4/ha. Cumulative emissions from May 2014 (over 350 days) were –0.5, 1.6 and 15.0 kg CH4/ha for the nil, sludge and dung application treatments, respectively, corresponding to 3.3 × 10–4 and 8.5 × 10–4 kg CH4/kg VS for sludge and dung. Where dung was applied seasonally, net cumulative emissions from dung on a Chromosol soil were 9.4, 0.2, 2.5 and 11.1 kg CH4/ha, in spring summer, autumn and winter, respectively. On a Dermosol soil, cumulative emissions from dung were 6.4, <0.1, 3.8, and 14.4 kg CH4/ha. Seasonal emissions of CH4 ranged from 4.3 × 10–6 to 1.1 × 10–3 kg CH4/kg VS. These measured emissions were mostly lower than that calculated from the country-specific emission factors used in Australian Inventory for CH4 emissions from dairy cow dung in temperate Australia of 1.59 × 10–3 kg CH4/kg VS.
Additional keywords: bovine, nitrapyrin, nitrification inhibitor.
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