Semi-empirical process-based models for ammonia emissions from beef, swine, and poultry operations in the United States

Abstract Farm-level ammonia emissions factors in the literature vary by an order of magnitude due to variations in manure management practices and meteorology, and it is essential to capture this variability in emission inventories used for atmospheric modeling. Loss of ammonia to the atmosphere is modeled here through a nitrogen mass balance with losses controlled by mass transfer resistance parameters, which vary with meteorological conditions and are tuned to match literature-reported emissions factors. Variations due to management practices are captured by having tuned parameters that are specific to each set of management practices. The resulting farm emissions models (FEMs) explain between 20% and 70% of the variability in published emissions factors and typically estimate emission factors within a factor of 2. The r2 values are: 0.53 for swine housing (0.67 for shallow-pit houses); 0.48 for swine storage; 0.29 for broiler chickens; 0.70 for layer chickens; and 0.21 for beef feedlots (0.36 for beef feedlots with more farm-specific input data). Mean fractional error was found to be 22–44% for beef feedlots, swine housing, and layer housing; fractional errors were greater for swine lagoons (90%) and broiler housing (69%). Unexplained variability and errors result from model limitations, measurement errors in reported emissions factors, and a lack of information about measurement conditions.

[1]  B. Eggum,et al.  Protein and energy metabolism in broiler chickens selected for either body weight gain or feed efficiency. , 1990, British poultry science.

[2]  J. Martínez,et al.  Effect of covering pig slurry stores on the ammonia emission processes. , 2003, Bioresource technology.

[3]  Ji-Qin Ni,et al.  Odor and gas release from anaerobic treatment lagoons for swine manure. , 2003, Journal of environmental quality.

[4]  J. Hatfield,et al.  AIR POLLUTION FROM SWINE PRODUCTION FACILITIES DIFFERING IN WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE , 2000 .

[5]  S. Pandis,et al.  Marginal PM25: Nonlinear Aerosol Mass Response to Sulfate Reductions in the Eastern United States. , 1999, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association.

[6]  Philip W. Westerman,et al.  Ammonia Emissions from Anaerobic Swine Lagoons: Model Development , 2002 .

[7]  Larry D Jacobson,et al.  Emissions of Ammonia, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Odor before, during, and after Slurry Removal from a Deep-Pit Swine Finisher , 2006, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association.

[8]  C. Rotz.  Management to reduce nitrogen losses in animal production. , 2004, Journal of animal science.

[9]  T. Osada,et al.  Determination of nitrous oxide, methane, and ammonia emissions from a swine waste composting process , 2000 .

[10]  Albert J. Heber,et al.  A REVIEW OF AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM CONFINED SWINE FEEDING OPERATIONS , 2003 .

[11]  A.J.A. Aarnink,et al.  Ammonia Emission Patterns during the Growing Periods of Pigs Housed on Partially Slatted Floors , 1995 .

[12]  R. Gates,et al.  The effect of dietary protein and phosphorus on ammonia concentration and litter composition in broilers. , 1998, Poultry science.

[13]  Spyros N. Pandis,et al.  Response of Inorganic PM to Precursor Concentrations , 1998 .

[14]  Cliff I. Davidson,et al.  A process-based model of ammonia emissions from dairy cows: improved temporal and spatial resolution , 2004 .

[15]  P. Adams,et al.  Temporally resolved ammonia emission inventories: Current estimates, evaluation tools, and measurement needs , 2006 .

[16]  Calvin B. Parnell,et al.  PARTICULATE MATTER AND AMMONIA EMISSION FACTORS FOR TUNNEL–VENTILATED BROILER PRODUCTION HOUSES IN THE SOUTHERN U.S. , 2003 .

[17]  K. Nahm.  Evaluation of the nitrogen content in poultry manure , 2003 .

[18]  C. A. Rotz,et al.  Predicting Management Effects on Ammonia Emissions from Dairy and Beef Farms , 2005 .

[19]  Hongwei Xin,et al.  U.S. broiler housing ammonia emissions inventory , 2008 .

[20]  N. HristovA.,et al.  Review: Ammonia emissions from dairy farms and beef feedlots1 , 2011 .

[21]  N. A. Cole,et al.  Effects of phase-feeding of crude protein on performance, carcass characteristics, serum urea nitrogen concentrations, and manure nitrogen of finishing beef steers. , 2006, Journal of animal science.

[22]  A. Kasper-Giebl,et al.  Field intercomparison of diffusive samplers for measuring ammonia. , 1999, Journal of environmental monitoring : JEM.

[23]  L. Harper,et al.  Ammonia and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Sprinkler Irrigation Applications of Swine Effluent , 1997 .

[24]  John P. Chastain,et al.  Swine Manure Production and Nutrient Content , 1998 .

[25]  M. Guarino,et al.  Ammonia, methane, nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions from two different buildings for laying hens , 2007 .

[26]  Willi Gujer,et al.  Urea hydrolysis and precipitation dynamics in a urine-collecting system. , 2003, Water research.

[27]  N. A. Cole,et al.  Ammonia emissions from a beef cattle feedyard on the southern High Plains , 2008 .

[28]  Lowry A. Harper,et al.  Deducing Ground-to-Air Emissions from Observed Trace Gas Concentrations: A Field Trial with Wind Disturbance , 2004 .

[29]  G. Erickson,et al.  Effects of manipulating protein and phosphorus nutrition of feedlot cattle on nutrient management and the environment , 2002 .

[30]  K. W. Van der Hoek.  Estimating ammonia emission factors in Europe: Summary of the work of the UNECE ammonia expert panel , 1998 .

[31]  D. Dockery,et al.  Health Effects of Fine Particulate Air Pollution: Lines that Connect , 2006, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association.

[32]  L. M. Safley,et al.  Loss of nitrogen during sprinkler irrigation of swine lagoon liquid , 1992 .

[33]  Saqib Mukhtar,et al.  CONCENTRATION AND EMISSIONS OF AMMONIA AND PARTICULATE MATTER IN TUNNEL–VENTILATED BROILER HOUSES UNDER SUMMER CONDITIONS IN TEXAS , 2002 .

[34]  N. A. Cole,et al.  Determining ammonia emissions from a cattle feedlot with an inverse dispersion technique , 2007 .

[35]  P. Adams,et al.  A temporally and spatially resolved ammonia emission inventory for dairy cows in the United States , 2004 .

[36]  B. J. Chambers,et al.  Ammonia Emissions from Broiler Litter and Laying Hen Manure Management Systems , 2004 .

[37]  Philippe Rochette,et al.  Gaseous nitrogen emissions and forage nitrogen uptake on soils fertilized with raw and treated swine manure. , 2007, Journal of environmental quality.

[38]  H. Xin,et al.  Ammonia Emissions from Broiler Houses in Kentucky during Winter , 2003 .

[39]  Hongwei Xin,et al.  Ammonia Emissions from U.S. Laying Hen Houses in Iowa and Pennsylvania , 2005 .

[40]  Bryan W. Shaw,et al.  Review of ammonia emission factors for United States animal agriculture , 2008 .

[41]  Teng Teeh Lim,et al.  EFFECTS OF MANURE REMOVAL STRATEGIES ON ODOR AND GAS EMISSIONS FROM SWINE FINISHING , 2004 .

[42]  W. Ivens,et al.  The contribution of ammonia emissions from agriculture to the deposition of acidifying and eutrophying compounds onto forests. , 1989, Environmental pollution.

[43]  David B. Parker,et al.  Chemical Composition of Pen Surface Layers of Beef Cattle Feedyards1 , 2009 .

[44]  W. Battye,et al.  Development and selection of ammonia emission factors. Final report, February-August 1994 , 1994 .

[45]  Lara B. Moody,et al.  Ammonia Emissions from Broiler Houses in the Southeastern United States , 2007 .

[46]  N. Bolan,et al.  Uses and management of poultry litter , 2010 .

[47]  A. Bouwman,et al.  A global high‐resolution emission inventory for ammonia , 1997 .

[48]  Jørgen E. Olesen,et al.  Modelling effects of wind speed and surface cover on ammonia volatilization from stored pig slurry , 1993 .

[49]  Albert J. Heber,et al.  EFFECT OF A MANURE ADDITIVE ON AMMONIA EMISSION FROM SWINE FINISHING BUILDINGS , 2000 .

[50]  B. Hicks,et al.  Some factors that affect the deposition rates of sulfur dioxide and similar gases on vegetation , 1977 .

[51]  The Development of US Ammonia Emission Factors for Use in Process Based Modeling , 2008 .

[52]  J. P. Frost,et al.  Prediction of nitrogen excretion in feces and urine of beef cattle offered diets containing grass silage. , 2007, Journal of animal science.

[53]  F M Mitloehner,et al.  Environmental impacts and sustainability of egg production systems. , 2010, Poultry science.

[54]  N. A. Cole,et al.  Daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual ammonia emissions from Southern High Plains cattle feedyards. , 2011, Journal of environmental quality.

[55]  S. Jarvis,et al.  Measurements of ammonia emission from grazed grassland. , 1990, Environmental pollution.

[56]  Viney P. Aneja,et al.  Evaluation and improvement of ammonia emissions inventories , 2003 .

[57]  M. Fenn,et al.  Nitrogen Emissions, Deposition, and Monitoring in the Western United States , 2003 .

[58]  Jan Willem Erisman,et al.  Ammonia emission from dairy cow buildings: a review of measurement techniques, influencing factors and possibilities for reduction , 1998 .

[59]  Jørgen E. Olesen,et al.  Modelling ammonia volatilization from animal slurry applied with trail hoses to cereals , 2000 .

[60]  S. Sommer,et al.  Ammonia emissions from land-applied beef cattle manure , 2007 .

[61]  N. Hutchings,et al.  Ammonia emission from field applied manure and its reduction-invited paper , 2001 .

[62]  Nicholas J. Hutchings,et al.  A model of ammonia volatilization from a grazing livestock farm , 1996 .

[63]  C. Chavez,et al.  Measurement of broiler litter production rates and nutrient content using recycled litter. , 2006, Poultry science.

[64]  N. A. Cole,et al.  Reducing crude protein in beef cattle diet reduces ammonia emissions from artificial feedyard surfaces. , 2006, Journal of environmental quality.

[65]  N. Pelletier,et al.  Environmental performance in the US broiler poultry sector: Life cycle energy use and greenhouse gas, ozone depleting, acidifying and eutrophying emissions , 2008 .