Odour control for piggeries: A study of the effectiveness of some treatments on stored effluents

Abstract

In a recent national survey (County Councils) on Waste Management Problems, Andrew Dakers (Lincoln College) concluded that odours seem to be the major concern, particularly from piggeries. This conclusion is supported by many comments I have heard from farmers and M.A.F. Advisers during visits to some of the main livestock producing areas of New Zealand. The current range of odour control measures available was reviewed in last years Conference by Peter Farrant and John Bealing. Masking agents and dried bacteria/enzyme products were reported as being generally satisfactory and such products weren't recommended for use until further work found them worthwhile. At present, only two formulations claiming to control/reduce malodours appear to be commercially available on the New Zealand market. This 'study was initiated to evaluate the two commercial odour control products and compare them with a mechanical aeration treatment. The use of finely divided iron as an odour control measure was only investigated following up some Canadian work on the control of hydrogen sulphide evolution from stored pig manure. This study, including further information on· the effects of treatment on effluent viscosity and some analytical data, has been reported elsewhere (ref. Smith et al) in more detail.