Lignite amendment of livestock manure: Mechanisms for nitrogen retention and effects on composting and nutrient release dynamics

Abstract

Intensive livestock production systems, such as cattle feedlots, play an important role in meeting the increasing global demand for animal products, driven by a growing population and increasing affluence. These intensive systems account for a significant proportion (~39%) of global atmospheric ammonia (NH3), which is released from the large amounts of manure generated. In cattle feedlots, the loss of NH3 represents about 75% of the excreted nitrogen (N) in the manure and this has important implications for environmental pollution. Consideration of management strategies to reduce this loss provides potential to obtain N enriched manures that can be used as fertilizer. A number of mitigatio..