The Rural Voice, 1989-02, Page 22Make the Right Choice!
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ONTARIO REGION, ATWOOD 519-356-2818
20 THE RURAL VOICE
selling the solid fraction for compost.
He then irrigated the liquid portion
onto his land.
In another instance, a farmer
aerates his liquid manure by bubbling
oxygen through it. This is supposed to
stabilize the nitrogen in the manure
and improve the odour. But most
manure in Ontario, Dr. Beauchamp
says, is simply stored and applied.
The reasons why manure treat-
ment is uncommon are clear: treating
manure is an added cost with no
possibility of return (except in the
case of methane digesters).
In Canada, where pollution from
manure is a small problem, there is
no incentive to treat manure at all. In
countries where pollution is more of a
concern, some treatment takes place.
Dutch farmers use digesters regularly,
often on a co-operative basis. But
even in a country like Britain, where
pollution from manure is much more
severe than in Canada, there is consi-
derable opposition to manure treat-
ment because of the cost.
But treatment of manure does not
have to be a severe drain on a farmer's
pocketbook. Under the right condi-
tions, the anaerobic digestion of
manure produces a substantial amount
of methane which can be burned for
heating or cooking.
In China, many houses have
backyard digesters to produce gas
for heating and cooking. In Northern
Ireland, a group of monks has de-
signed a digester which can handle up
to 14.4 tonnes of liquid manure every
day. At peak output it produces 450
cubic metres of gas daily, turning the
waste from their 400 cattle into a
£1,000 (approximately $2,000 Can.)
saving on their monthly heating bill.
The solid waste left over can be
composted and spread like manure.
And there is yet another pollution
problem caused by spreading manure:
the smell. Although this is a nuisance
rather than a health risk, it has caused
more than a few problems for many
farmers. The problem is compounded
by the number of farms near popula-
tion centres and the movement of
urban people to rural areas.
Jack Westlake advises farmers to
spread manure as infrequently and as
quickly as possible. Farmers, he says,
shouldn't look at the job as one to do