Reduction of ammonia emissions from dairy cattle cubicle houses via improved management- or design-based strategies: A modeling approach

Abstract

Given the current scarcity of empirical data on ammonia (NH₃) emissions from dairy cattle under different management-based mitigation techniques, a modeling approach to assess potential NH₃ emission reduction factors is needed. This paper introduces a process-based model that estimates NH₃ emission reduction factors for a dairy cattle barn featuring single or multiple management-based NH₃ emission mitigation techniques, as compared to another barn, to which no mitigation measure is applied. The model accounts for the following emission mitigation measures: (a) floor scraping, (b) floor type, (c) floor flushing with water and (d) indoor acidification of manure. Model sensitivity analysis indicated that manure acidification was the most efficient NH₃ emission reduction technique. A fair agreement was observed between reduction factors from the model and empirical estimates found in the literature. We propose a list of combinations of techniques that achieve the largest reductions. In order of efficiency, they are: (a) floor scraping combined with manure acidification (reduction efficiency 44-49%); (b) solid floor combined with scraping and flushing (reduction efficiency 21-27%); (c) floor scraping combined with flushing and (d) floor scraping alone (reduction efficiency 17-22%). The model is currently being used to advise the Flemish Government (Belgium), on the performance of certain NH₃ emission reduction systems for dairy barns in Flanders.