https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2012.e13

Assessment of nitrogen content in buffalo manure and land application costs

Vol. 43 No. 2 (2012)
Submitted: 3 June 2012
Accepted: 29 August 2012
Published: 27 September 2012
Bubalus bubalis, buffalo manure, manure management, spreading techniques, spreading costs.
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Authors

Salvatore Faugno
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy.
Stefania Pindozzi
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy.
Roberta Infascelli
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy.
Collins Okello
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy; Gulu University, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Uganda, .
Maria Nicolina Ripa
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Energy, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.
Lorenzo Boccia
lorenzo.boccia@unina.it
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy.
Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) livestock for mozzarella cheese production plays a fundamental role in the economy of southern Italy. European and Italian regulations consider nitrogen content in buffalo manure to be the same as that of cattle manure. This study aimed to assess whether this assumption is true. The first aim of the study was to assess nitrogen content in buffalo manure. Samples were taken from 35 farms to analyse nitrogen and phosphorous concentration in the manure. Analysis confirmed a lower nitrogen concentration (2%) in buffalo manure. A secondary aim of the study was to evaluate whether manure application techniques that are apparently less suitable, e.g. splash plate spreader, could be feasible. The cost of different methods of land application of manure and their characteristics were evaluated on the basis of one operational cycle. Considering losses for volatilisation, and taking into account cost assessment, the immediate incorporation of buffalo manure (nitrogen content 2%) is a suitable method of ammonia volatilisation. However, it is expensive and involves high fuel consumption in relation to the environmental benefit.

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Europe PMC
Salvatore Faugno, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA)
Researcher
Stefania Pindozzi, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA)
Researcher
Roberta Infascelli, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA)
PhD
Maria Nicolina Ripa, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Energy, University of Tuscia, Viterbo
Associate Professor
Lorenzo Boccia, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA)
Associate Professor

How to Cite

Faugno, S., Pindozzi, S., Infascelli, R., Okello, C., Ripa, M. N. and Boccia, L. (2012) “Assessment of nitrogen content in buffalo manure and land application costs”, Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 43(2), p. e13. doi: 10.4081/jae.2012.e13.

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