Organic and Inorganic Amendments to Reduce Ammonia Losses from Liquid Hog Manure

Abstract

Abstract Liquid hog manure ( Sus scrofa domesticus ) is in common use as a fertilizer or a soil conditioner in agricultural production. Liquid hog manure (LHM) suffers from N loss through volatilization of ammonia (NH 3 ), however. Reduction of NH 3 loss from 4% total solids LHM was studied using added Sphagnum peat moss ( Sphagnum fuscum peat), sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM), elemental S, and calcium carbonate. Cumulative losses of NH 3 ‐N ranged between 0 and 711 mg N kg −1 LHM applied. Elemental Sulfur and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) treatments induced greater NH 3 losses compared with the nonamended LHM, whereas acidic treatments including Sphagnum peat moss (SM) reduced NH 3 losses by at least 74.6%. Volatilization of NH 3 from LHM increased as the pH of amended LHM treatment increased. The relationships between cumulative (15 d) NH 3 volatilized and initial pH of amended LHM varied, depending on the amendment. The nutrient values of amended LHM stored for 25 d under continuous aeration were assessed on two soils mapped as Chicot (fine loamy, mixed, nonacid, mesic Typic Hapludoll) and Uplands (coarse loamy, mixed, nonacid, Typic Haplorthod) from eastern Canada. Treatment of LHM with SM at greater than 1% (w/w) reduced NH 3 volatilization. Added CaCO 3 increased NH 3 loss. In general, amendments did not reduce effectiveness of LHM‐N for barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) growth. An exception was the 1% SM + 2% CaCO 3 amendment that reduced plant growth.