Modern and innovative dairy cattle breeding technologies are highly dependent on the level of mechanization. This article presents modern solutions for dairy cattle breeding, in particular, for livestock buildings, in which longitudinal development is possible in accordance with the farm’s needs as well as with obtaining additional energy from biogas and post-ferment for granulated organic fertilizer. In the analysed technology for milk production, methane fermentation, biogas yield, and the possibility of fertilizer production in the form of granules are considered. The presented modular cattle breeding technology includes sustainable production, which is economic; environmentally friendly, with preconditions in the facility including animal welfare; and socially acceptable, resulting from a high level of mechanization, which ensures both comfortable working conditions and high milk quality. The presented production line is an integral part of the milk production process with the possibility of organic fertilizer being used in the production of healthy food.

The solid fraction, according to many researches, is an effective organic fertilizer, the activity of which is at the level of mineral fertilizers and even exceeds their effectiveness, while the use of the liquid fraction does not always give positive results. In the article the optimal concentration of the liquid fraction in water solution for fertilization during cultivation of onion for chives in soil was determined. Sediment from biogas production was obtained at the thermophilic fermentation (50ºC) of cattle manure in the laboratory institution which operated at the periodical regime of loading. Fermentation lasted 25 days. Seven variants of plant feeding were assessed: clean water (control), mineral fertilizers (solution of ammonium nitrate in water in the concentration of 1:25), unsolved liquid biofuel fraction and mixture of liquid fraction from the postferment with water in concentrations of 1:10, 1:50, 1:100, 1:500. It was determined that the highest efficiency was observed in case of fertilization of plants with the mixture of liquid fraction from postferment with concentration of 1:500. Along with the increase of liquid fraction concentration and fertilization of plants with water solution of mineral fertilizers, onion productivity dropped slightly. Fertilization of plants with the liquid fraction from postferment resulted in fractional dying of plants and reduction of efficiency. The crop control of nitrogen content proved that in case of every day watering of onion with clean water and mixture of liquid fraction with water concentration of 1:100-1:500 did not exceed the maximum admissible concentration which is 800 mg·kg−1. Thus, in case of onion cultivation for chives, taking into consideration the crop growth and low nitrogen content, it is recommended to use the mixture of liquid fraction with water of 1:500 concentration.

Development of innovative technological solutions in animal production should be associated with reduction of greenhouse gases, ammonia emission, and with rational disposal of natural fertilizers. The presented solutions and concepts of biogas acquisition and its disposal as well as a disposal of digestate mass place a need to improve the technological process before the science. The main aim of the presented solutions for the use of methane fermentation of a natural fertiliser in agricultural conditions is their utilization and energy acquisition, in particular for households and farms. When considering the issue of methane fermentation, one should include all favourable fertilization, energy aspects and firstly, the ecological ones. During the methane fermentation, substrates are stabilized due to removal of a large amount of carbon. The only elements that are removed from the system are evolving gases: CH4, CO2 and H2S. During the discussed process, the entire nitrogen is preserved in the organic or ammonia form.

Methane production by fermentation is a complex biochemical process, in which micromolecular organic substances are broken down by anaerobic bacteria into simple stabilized chemicals—mainly methane CH4 and carbon dioxide CO2. The organic matter of the slurry consists mainly of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. As a result of biochemical changes in the process of anaerobic decomposition, some of this matter is mineralized to simple chemical compounds. Cattle and pig husbandry offers enormous potential for useable biogas plant substrates. As a result of the constantly increasing amounts of animal husbandry products, and increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements aimed at reusing natural fertilizers, it is necessary to look for alternative processing methods. The need for efficiency in obtaining biogas from substrates (e.g., manure) was met by the laboratory stand presented in this article, for which the Polish patent No. 232200 was obtained. The new technology also allows leaching of the organic liquid, e.g., from manure, and subjecting it to methane fermentation. The solution allows the individual elements of the technological line that determine the fermentation process to be tested under laboratory conditions. It also allows testing of the substrates in terms of fermentation, to determine their physical and chemical characteristics, and then to characterize the fermentation process in terms of the quality and quantity of the resulting biogas and the quality of post-fermentation residues. Compressing biogas for local distribution was also proposed. As part of the research, using a laboratory stand, the organic matter was leached from manure, for the purpose of biogas production. In addition, the biogas yield from manure at varying degrees of maturity was assessed. The best properties in terms of biogas yield forecasting were demonstrated by manure composted for 4–8 weeks.

AbstractModern livestock facilities necessary in the production of milk, meat or other animal products should be constructed with environmental protection in mind, while ensuring high quality of production and animal welfare. The high level of mechanization in modern dairy farms, including automated and robotic processes, allows obtaining high quality raw material (e.g. milk), and significantly increasing labor and production efficiency. In addition, the use of photovoltaic (PV) panels, heat recovery from milk and obtaining biogas from the manure fermentation process, contributes to large energy savings on the farm. Excess of natural fertilizers, which are an animal byproduct, can be used as a substrate for methane fermentation. The presented examples of obtaining renewable energy allow improving the economic efficiency of animal production. They also ensure appropriate environmental conditions through the innovative management of natural fertilizers.