Impact of manure management of different livestock on gaseous emissions: laboratory study

Abstract. A laboratory study investigated the impact of manure management and air temperature on the gaseous emissions of ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from manure stored under summer and winter conditions. Trials were carried out for 10–18 days on a pilot scale and were located outside the laboratory with a standardised protocol for ambient air speed. The concentrations of N2O, CH4, and CO2 in exhaust air from the storage vessel were analysed sequentially either by infrared detection or by gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionisation detector/electron captor detector, while NH3 concentration was determined by passing the exhaust air through acid traps. The results confirm that manure composition and temperature affect emissions of CH4, N2O, CO2 and NH3. NH3 emissions, expressed as a percentage of total nitrogen present in manure, ranged from 0.1 % (duck slurry) t