Dairy Manure Storage & Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Opportunities
Due to increasing farm size and water quality requirements, more farms are storing manure in order to apply valuable nutrients to cropland during the growing season. Stored manure is often anaerobic (low oxygen) and produces methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) that is 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 100 years. Stored manure also produces other greenhouse gases such as N2O and H2S which can impact human and livestock health.
There are many opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through proper manure management and storage. This factsheet provides educators and farmers with a variety of meaningful methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Three key strategies are outlined in detail: optimizing animal feed to reduce volatile solids in manure, installing covers and flares on manure storage, and implementing anaerobic digestion systems to aid in methane destruction.
For more information on this factsheet or series, contact Peter Woodbury (peterwoodbury@cornell.edu) or Jenifer Wightman (jenifer.wightman@cornell.edu).
Cost: Free
Time Investment: Not Applicable