This study measured concentrations of ammonia, greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane) from beef cattle manure packs with different bedding materials (corn stover, soybean stover) and temperatures (10°C, 40°C). Higher temperatures increased gas concentrations, and corn stover increased ammonia and methane at 40°C. Gas levels also varied depending on manure pack age. Future work will develop a model to predict emissions and nutrient values from bedded manure systems.

1. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Ammonia and greenhouse
gas surface concentration
measurements from beef
bedded manure packs
Ferouz Ayadi1, Mindy Spiehs2, Erin Cortus3, Daniel Miller4
1 GRA, M.S., South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
2 Ph. D., USDA‐ARS MARC, Clay Center, NE
3 Ph. D., South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
4 Ph. D., USDA-ARS AMRU, Lincoln, NE

2. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Introduction – Purpose of research
• Beef producers can apply a deep-bedded pack
(bedpack) for confined systems
• We want to understand the mechanisms of why there
are variations in gas concentrations relating to
 Temperature
 Bedding material
 Age of bedpack

3. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Introduction – Purpose of research
• Objective:
Determine differences in ammonia
(NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide
(N2O), and methane (CH4) concentrations
from bedded beef cattle manure related to
manure pack age, bedding material, and
temperature.

4. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
What we did – Materials and Methods
• Simulation of bedpacks in a small-scale (buckets) and
environmentally controlled setting:
 Temperature: 10°C (50°F)
40°C (104°F)
 Bedding material: Corn stubble (CS)
Soybean stover (SB)
 Bedpack ages: 0 - 3 weeks
3 - 6 weeks 3 week monitoring period
6 - 9 weeks
• 2x2x3 Factorial design (12 treatments) with 2 replicates

5. Define Bedpack age
5
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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

6. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
What we did: GHG and NH3 measurements
• Gas sampling from
headspace of bedded packs
with dynamic flux chambers
at different times after weekly
manure and bedding addition
 Age is starting age of bedpack
(baby, junior, senior)
 Hour relates to gas concentrations based on time
of application
 Week is week 1, 2 or 3 complete week(s) of the
overall monitoring period of 3 weeks

7. 0
500
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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Time (hours)
NH3 (ppm) - 10°C Corn Stover
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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
NH3 - Soybean Stubble 10°C
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NH3 - Corn Stover 40°C
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NH3 - Soybean Stubble 40°C
Higher temperatures increased NH3 concentrations.
CS increased NH3 concentrations at 40°C.
Baby pack had higher NH3 concentrations than senior at
40°C.

8. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Results – NH3
• Higher temperatures increased NH3 at 40°C
»SB by more than twofold
»CS by more than threefold
• Corn stover increased NH3 concentrations at 40°C
 CS had higher MC and higher water holding capacity
than SB
» urea hydrolysis requires water
• No differences related to age except between
baby and senior at 40°C
»Baby pack had higher NH3 concentrations at 40°C
than senior pack

9. 0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
0 500 1000 1500Time (hours)
N2O (ppm) - Corn Stover 10°C
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
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0 500 1000 1500
N2O - Soybean Stubble 10°C
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
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0 500 1000 1500
N2O - Soybean Stubble 40°C
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
0 500 1000 1500
N2O - Corn Stover 40°C
Higher temperatures increased N2O concentrations only
for SB.
Other differences only at time of measurements (Hour).
N2O close to ambient air except at manure addition.

10. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Results – N2O
• Significant N2O increases with higher
temperatures only for SB by approximately
twofold
• Significant differences only within hour of
measurements
»Peaks occurred at times of manure addition
»N2O mostly near ambient air concentration

11. 0
2000
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0 500 1000 1500
CO2(ppm)
Time (hours)
CO2 (ppm) - Corn Stover 10°C
0
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12000
0 500 1000 1500Time (hours)
CO2 - Soybean Stubble 10°C
0
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0 500 1000 1500
CO2 - Corn Stover 40°C
0
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0 500 1000 1500
CO2 - Soybean Stubble 40°C
Higher temperatures increased CO2 concentrations.
CO2 concentrations increased by age at 10°C.

12. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Results – Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Higher temperature increased CO2
concentrations by approximately twofold
• Differences related to age only at 10°C
»CO2 concentrations increased by age

13. 0
50
100
150
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300
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
CH4 - Corn Stover 10°C
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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
CH4 - Soybean Stover 10°C
0
50
100
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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
CH4 - Corn Stover 40°C
0
50
100
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250
300
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
CH4 - Soybean Stover 40°C
Higher temperatures increased CH4 concentrations.
Significantly increased CH4 with CS as bedding for senior.Significantly increased CH4 from baby/junior to senior.

14. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Results – Methane (CH4)
• Higher temperature increased CH4
concentrations by approximately twofold
• Bedding affected only senior bedpacks
 Increased CH4 concentrations with CS as
bedding
• Increased CH4 concentrations with increased
age:
 Cold: increases from junior to senior bedpack
 Hot: increases from baby to senior

15. CO2 peaked when NH3 and pH were lowest
0
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4
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pHCO2 - Corn Stover 10°C
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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Ammonia 10°C Corn Stover

16. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
What we learned - Conclusions
• Temperature: All gas concentrations increased by
approximately twofold with higher temperature (N2O
only for SB)
• Bedding affected NH3 and CO2 at 40°C and for CH4 only
senior bedpack
» Corn stover increased concentrations
• CH4 increased with age, CO2 increased with age at 10°C
• NH3 decreased for senior compared to baby at 40°C
• CO2 peaked when NH3 and pH were lowest

17. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Future Work
• Develop a model for bedded manure from
confined beef cattle systems to predict:
 NH3 emission
 Greenhouse gas emission (CO2, N2O, and CH4)
 N-P-K value

18. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the following institutions for
funding, facilities, equipment, and supplies:
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture- National Institute of Food and Agriculture
(USDA-NIFA)
• USDA-ARS, Meat Animal Research Center, Clay
Center, NE
The cooperation and assistance of Alan Kruger, Carrie
Mesiar, Sue Wise, Dale Janssen, Jeff Waechter is
gratefully appreciated.

19. South Dakota
State University
1 – 4 April 2013 Denver, Co
From Waste to Worth: “Spreading” Science & Solutions
Questions?Questions?
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