Manure mesocosms were designed to replicate natural manure storage conditions, allowing researchers to understand the behavior of manure during its storage, after being collected from barns, and before applying it to crop fields. This system increases knowledge of dairy manure's gas emissions, microbial activity, physical-chemical properties, and how additives impact these aspects. Initial trials are evaluating products already used on New York dairy farms so that results are immediately applicable, and new alternatives will also be explored to determine the best treatments.
The manure mesocosms at CURC provide valuable data that will guide farmers and other dairy industry stakeholders on manure additive treatments as an alternative to reduce environmental impacts, including air pollution, and improve the desired characteristics to benefit soil and crops, contributing to developing more sustainable dairy farm operations.
“We hope to provide scalable solutions to every size farm, from small to large herds, to improve manure management, reduce gas emissions and nitrogen losses through practical and affordable techniques such as promising manure additive treatments,” said Cornell Animal Science Department graduate student Joel Tinoco, who leads the project in partnership with PRO-DAIRY Dairy Environmental Systems (DES).
