Manure as a key resource within smallholder farming systems: Analysing farm-scale nutrient cycling efficiencies with the NUANCES framework

Rufino, Mariana C.; Tittonell, Pablo; Wijk, Mark van; Castellanos-Navarrete, A.; Delve, Robert J.; Ridder, N. de; Giller, Ken E.

doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2007.09.011

Cited by 131 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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Section: Manure Management Practices -A Global Viewsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Organic manure produced on the farm represents 24% of the N, and 17% is lost through leaching or in gaseous form during handling and storage of manure and compost (Blanchard, 2010). The N cycling efficiencies were close to those reported by Rufino et al (2007) of 13% to 28%.With the rising price of mineral fertilisers, reduction in fertiliser subsidies and programmes promoting organic manure quality, there is an increasing focus on efficient use of nutrients in livestock manure (Blanchard and Vall, 2010). To increase nutrient conservation, recommendations are to compost under roofs and on floors (Rufino and Rowe, 2006), and to limit storage time (Tittonell et al, 2010).…”

supporting

confidence: 57%

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Manure management for greenhouse gas mitigation

Petersen

Blanchard

Chadwick

et al. 2013

Animal

141

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Ongoing intensification and specialisation of livestock production lead to increasing volumes of manure to be managed, which are a source of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O). Net emissions of CH 4 and N 2 O result from a multitude of microbial activities in the manure environment. Their relative importance depends not only on manure composition and local management practices with respect to treatment, storage and field application, but also on ambient climatic conditions. The diversity of livestock production systems, and their associated manure management, is discussed on the basis of four regional cases (Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, China and Europe) with increasing levels of intensification and priorities with respect to nutrient management and environmental regulation. GHG mitigation options for production systems based on solid and liquid manure management are then presented, and potentials for positive and negative interactions between pollutants, and between management practices, are discussed. The diversity of manure properties and environmental conditions necessitate a modelling approach for improving estimates of GHG emissions, and for predicting effects of management changes for GHG mitigation, and requirements for such a model are discussed. Finally, we briefly discuss drivers for, and barriers against, introduction of GHG mitigation measures for livestock production. There is no conflict between efforts to improve food and feed production, and efforts to reduce GHG emissions from manure management. Growth in livestock populations are projected to occur mainly in intensive production systems where, for this and other reasons, the largest potentials for GHG mitigation may be found.Keywords: methane, nitrous oxide, storage, treatment, farm model ImplicationsLivestock manure is a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly as methane and nitrous oxide. GHG emissions are biogenic and regulated by manure characteristics, and therefore emissions can be manipulated via handling, treatment and storage conditions. Globally, livestock production systems vary widely, and this is also true for GHG mitigation potentials, but generally efforts to conserve nutrients in manure for crop production will also reduce GHG emissions. Future growth in livestock production is projected to occur mainly in confined animal feeding operations, which also appear to have the greatest potential for GHG mitigation. IntroductionSince the mid 20th century, there has been a growing pressure on land resources for production of food and feed for livestock and, increasingly, crops for energy production (Hoogwijk et al., 2005). To fulfil the demand for meat, milk and eggs, livestock production in developing countries is expanding, especially in peri-urban areas (Gerber et al., 2005), and worldwide becomes more specialised (Steinfeld et al., 2006). In consequence of these trends, increasing volumes of livestock manure are produced, which are a source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) contributing t...

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Section: Manure Management Practices -A Global Viewsupporting

confidence: 86%

supporting

confidence: 57%

Manure management for greenhouse gas mitigation

Petersen

Blanchard

Chadwick

et al. 2013

Animal

141

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“…Incorporating crop residues is not a practical option for maintaining SOC on smallholder farms, particularly on the mixed crop-livestock RG1 and RG2 farms, because crop residues are an important source of cattle fodder during the dry season. However, recycling of C and nutrients through manure is highly inefficient, as large losses occur during storage, handing and application to the fields (Rufino et al 2007). Increased C input from root biomass with mineral fertilizers contributed little to SOC, as C derived from maize roots is highly labile, and thus much of it enters the active SOC pool with a rapid turnover, particularly in coarse textured soils that are ploughed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing soil fertility diversity to enhance resource use efficiencies in smallholder farming systems: a case from Murewa District, Zimbabwe

Zingore

Tittonell

Corbeels

et al. 2010

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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Smallholder farms in sub-Saharan African exhibit substantial heterogeneity in soil fertility, and nutrient resource allocation strategies that address this variability are required to increase nutrient use efficiencies. We applied the Field-scale resource Interactions, use Efficiencies and Long-term soil fertility Development (FIELD) model to explore consequences of various manure and fertilizer application strategies on crop productivity and soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics on farms varying in resource endowment in a case study village in Murewa District, Zimbabwe. FIELD simulated a rapid decline in SOC and maize yields when native woodlands were cleared for maize cultivation without fertilizer inputs coupled with removal of crop residues. Applications of 10 t manure ha -1 year -1 for 10 years were required to restore maize productivity to the yields attainable under native woodland. Long-term application of manure at 5 and 3 t ha -1 resulted in SOC contents comparable to zones of high and medium soil fertility observed on farms of wealthy cattle owners. Targeting manure application to restore SOC to 50-60% of contents under native woodlands was sufficient to increase productivity to 90% of attainable yields. Short-term increases in crop productivity achieved by reallocating manure to less fertile fields were short-lived on sandy soils. Preventing degradation of the soils under intensive cultivation is difficult, particularly in low input farming systems, and attention should be paid to judicious use of the limited nutrient resources to maintain a degree of soil fertility that supports good crop response to fertilizer application.

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“…This management practice leads to substantial N losses through denitrification and NH 3 volatilization (Predotova et al, 2009) especially if the manure was to be utilized in farmers' home gardens and/or millet fields. Improved manure handling and storage by covering the dung heap with branches or plastic sheets could reduce nutrient losses (Rufino et al, 2007) in urban livestock production systems and thus reduce negative environmental externalities of such enterprises. Given that our study only determined the amount and quality of dung piling up uncovered in the courtyard, the monthly measuring interval has certainly lead to an underestimation of the nutrient excretion by livestock due to gaseous and eventual leaching losses occurring between excreta deposit and dung measurement.…”

Section: Cattlementioning

confidence: 99%

Resource use efficiency in urban and peri-urban sheep, goat and cattle enterprises

Diogo

Buerkert

Schlecht

2010

Animal

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Urban livestock husbandry receives growing attention given the increasing urban demand for livestock products. At the same time, little is known about the resource use efficiency in urban livestock enterprises and eventual negative externalities. In livestock production, feeds are an important resource whose nutrients are transformed into products (meat and milk) to generate financial return to the producer. The lack of knowledge on nutrient supply through feed might lead to oversupply with severe environmental impacts. In Niamey, a typical West African city and capital of the Republic of Niger, urban livestock production is constrained by feed scarcity, especially during the dry season. Here, the issue of resource use efficiency was studied in 13 representative and differently managed sheep/goat and cattle enterprises characterized by high and low feed inputs, respectively, during a period of 28 months. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inflows into each farm through livestock feeds and outflows through manure were determined using a semi-structured questionnaire; interviews were accompanied by regular weighing of feed supplied and dung produced. Live weight gain (LWG) and efficiency of conversion of total feed dry matter offered (kg TDMO/kg LWG) were computed along with nutrient balances (NBs) per metabolic body mass (kg 0.75 ). NBs (per kg 0.75 /day) in the high-input (HI) sheep/goat enterprises were 11762.4 mg N, 1127.2 mg P and 11363.5 mg K and were significantly greater (P , 0.05) than those in low-input (LI) units (169.1 mg N, 298.3 mg P and 116.5 mg K). In HI cattle enterprises, daily balances averaged 1454.1 mg N, 140.1 mg P and 1341.8 mg K compared to 134.4 mg N, 29.0 mg P and 168.3 mg K (P . 0.05) in LI cattle systems. All systems were characterized by poor conversion efficiencies of offered feed, which ranged from 13.5 to 46.1 kg TDMO/kg LWG in cattle and from 15.7 to 43.4 kg TDMO/kg LWG in sheep/goats. LWG in HI sheep/goats was 53 g/day in the rainy season, 86 g/day in the hot dry season and 104 g/day in the cool dry season, while HI cattle lost 79 g/day in the hot dry season and gained 121 g/day and 92 g/day in the cool dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The data indicate that there is nutrient wasting and scope for improvement of feeding strategies in Niamey's livestock enterprises, which might also decrease nutrient losses to the urban environment.

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Manure as a key resource within smallholder farming systems: Analysing farm-scale nutrient cycling efficiencies with the NUANCES framework

Cited by 131 publications

References 16 publications

Manure management for greenhouse gas mitigation

Manure management for greenhouse gas mitigation

Managing soil fertility diversity to enhance resource use efficiencies in smallholder farming systems: a case from Murewa District, Zimbabwe

Resource use efficiency in urban and peri-urban sheep, goat and cattle enterprises

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