cow manure

The modern-day paper industry is highly capital-intensive industries in the core sector. Though there are several uses of paper for currency, packaging, education, information, communication, trade and hygiene, the flip side of this industry is the impact on the forest resources and other ecosystems which leads to increasing pollution in water and air, influencing several local communities. In the present paper, the authors have tried to explore potential and alternate source of industrial pulp through ruminant animal dung, which is widely available as a rural resource in India. Three types of undigested animal dung fibers from Indigenous cow (IDF), Jersey cow (JDF), and Buffalo (BDF) were taken. Wheat straw (WS) was the main diet of all animals. The cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content for all animal dung samples were found in a range of (29–31.50%), (21–23.50%), and (11–13%), respectively. The abundant holocellulose and low lignin contents are suitable for handmade pulp and...

During this experiment, the effects of cow manure and cow manure + sawdust vermicompost replacement instead of peat in the growth media were investigated on the growth of ornamental foliage plants Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen), Dracaena marginata and Spathiphyllum wallisii. To produce vermicompost, cow manure and cow manure + sawdust (volume ratio 80 to 20) was added to Eisenia fetida earthworm medium. After preparation of vermicomposts for preparation of growth media, volumetric values of 25, 50, 75, and 100% vermicompost of cow manure and cow manure + sawdust replaced peat in the control (peat + perlite with a volume ratio of 2 to 1). After preparing the growth media, rooted cuttings were planted in them. Measured factors were nitrogen, potassium, calcium and magnesium in leaves and growth medium, height, diameter, fresh weight of stems and leaves, dry weight of stems and leaves and fresh and dry weight of plant roots. The results showed that increasing the levels of two types of vermicompost in peat replacement increased nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium of the leaves in Aglaonema, Dracaena marginata and Spathiphyllumwallisii. With increasing two types of vermicompost in the growth medium, water holding capacity increased compared to peat and 100% vermicompost had the highest water holding capacity. Application of 25% of each vermicompost increased the height, diameter, fresh weight and dry weight of branches and leaves in plants compared to the control. Due to the problems caused by the accumulation of sawdust in the environment and the high cost of peat in the ornamental plant industry, the use of 25% cow manure + sawdust vermicompost is a more economical recommendation.

The main innovation of the study is the use of a novel energo-environmental approach for investigation of biogas production, and analysis of the amount of methane and biogas produced in terms of energy production and global warming potential (GWP). Two types of reactors (laboratory-scale and semi-industrial reactors) were prepared for biogas production to perform a detailed study and for exact consideration of treatments in terms of production. Based on the results, the maximum methane production in the laboratory-scale setup was related to a carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of 30 at mesophilic temperature (35,967 ml/kg volatile solids). Accordingly, the C/N ratio in the semi-industrial reactor was considered to be 30; methane production was equal to 14/489m3 at loading rates of 237.5, 2.580 and 234.92 kg for cow manure, wheat straw and water content, respectively. The maximum biogas production occurred on day 65, from the viewpoint of energetic analysis. The highest daily net electricity production occurred on day 12, with a positive energy balance. However, considering GWP effects in the production and use of biogas, it would be better to stop production on day 48, in which case methane production would be equal to 77% of the final limit of biogas production. ARTICLE HISTORY

Purpose Microbial pathogens can lead to health problems
and disease transmission. Present study aimed to evaluate
the microbial quality and quantity of vermicompost production and to compare to the current Iranian standards to
protect public health and environmental concerns.
Method This is a pilot-scale experimental study conducted
in the Public Health laboratory of Shahid Sadoughi
University of Medical Sciences. The samples included
organic municipal solid waste, cow manure and wastewater
treatment plant sludge which are used for vermicompost
production. The samples are mixed as cow manure–organic
waste and cow manure–sewage sludge in two reactors.
Microbial tests such as fecal coliforms (FC) and parasite
egg (Ascaris) were carried out during start, processing and
curing time with duplication analysis in 56 days. Totally, a
number of 128 samples was analyzed. Analyses were
conducted according to standard methods. Data analysis
was conducted through one-way ANOVA and Duncan
tests.
Results The results showed a significant reduction in
number of FCs in cow manure–organic waste so that the
number of 350,000 MPN/g in the raw sample decreased to
800 MPN/g within 8-week period, also FC in the case of
cow manure–sewage sludge was achieved to 2400 from
6,500,000 MPN/g. In two cocomposting cases, the parasite
eggs were completely removed in the second week.
Conclusion The results showed vermicomposting as a
feasible method to convert waste into fertilizer humus in
agriculture which also enables to achieve Iranian class A
compost standard.

The key objective of this study was to evaluate the economic feasibility of producing biogas from privately-owned dairy farm in the North of Jordan. This experiment did not adopt Best-Available-Technology (BAT) but rather traditional unit manufactured with minimized costs through install-ing locally produced materials to avoid economic burden on the farmers ’ production costs. A ther-mophilic biodigester unit was built sub-surface with 22 m3 capacity (15 m3 manure tank plus 7 m3 biogas holder) in a relatively small scale dairy farm. The daily feed was about 500 liter of cow slurry (150- 200 liter cow manure) and the remaining were production liquids. The retention time was approximately 25- 30 days and the seasonal temperature measured was about 18˚C-20˚C. The unit was thermally insulated; therefore, the temperature fluctuation was slightly around +/−3˚C. The daily biogas production was estimated at 7 m3 equivalent to 4 kg of Liquefied Petro-leum Gas (LPG) or 11 (12.5 kg) LPG cylind...

Purpose Wastes were composted and applied as the soils amendment to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. The study aimed at assessing the nutrient uptake and growth of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) grown in soils amended with cow manure after a co-composting process. Methods Sandy loam and silt loam soils were amended with cow manure after co-composting with poplar leaf litter at 1:0, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3. The compost was applied to soil at the rate of 20 t ha-1. Spinach was grown for 8 weeks and then harvested to measure plant shoot bio-mass. Spinach shoot samples were digested and nutrient contents in the shoots were determined. Results Co-composted manure significantly improved the growth and nutrients availability to the spinach. Dry bio-mass, P and K contents in spinach shoot varied among manure: leaf litter ratios: 1:0 \ 1:1 \ 1:2 \ 1:3. Conversely , N, Zn, Fe, Cu and Cd contents in spinach shoot reduced with the manure amendment with increasing amount of leaf litter. Water extractable micro-elements in the post-harvest soils were found in the order of Zn [ Fe [ Cu [ Cd. Co-compost amendments increased the P and K availability except N, NO 3 and NH 4 in the post-harvest soils. Trace elements in the post-harvest soils reduced with leaf additives in the compost. Conclusions Co-composted cow manure with leaf litter proved to be superior in terms of bioavailability of plant nutrients over the composted manure without leaf litter. This may also assist in mitigating the environmental contamination of heavy metals in the farm lands.

ABSTRACT Hydroponic and pot experiments were conducted to assess the uptake of heavy metals (Cd and Zn) by a common crop plant, African basil, Ocimum gratissimum. In addition, the effects of soil amendments, hydroxyapatite (HA) and cow manure on plant growth and metal accumulations were compared. In the hydroponic study, plants were exposed to various concentrations of Cd (2.5 and 5mgL−1) and Zn (10 and 20mgL−1) for 15days. O. gratissimum was shown to be a Cd accumulator more than a Zn accumulator. Cadmium concentration in its shoots exceeded 100mgkg−1. In the pot experiments, soils from a heavily Cd-contaminated site (Cd 67.9mgkg−1 and Zn 2,886.8mgkg−1) were treated with cow manure and HA at the rates of 10% and 20% (w/w), and 0.75 and 1.5% (w/w), respectively. Plants were grown in the greenhouse for 3months. The addition of cow manure resulted in the highest biomass production and the lowest accumulations of Cd in plant parts, while HA was more efficient than cow manure in reducing Zn uptake. Leaves of African basil showed a decreased Cd concentration from 1.5 to 0.3mgkg−1 (cow manure) and decreased Zn concentration from 69.3 to 34mgkg−1 (HA). This clearly demonstrates the efficiency of HA and cow manure in reducing metal content in leaves of plants grown on high metal-contaminated soil to acceptable or close to acceptable values (0.2mgkg−1 for Cd, 99.4mgkg−1 for Zn). Keywords Ocimum gratissimum -Cadmium-Zinc-Cow manure-Hydroxyapatite

Background and Objectives: In order to optimize the management of soil and water resources, it is necessary to pay attention to the physical properties of soil, especially the soil structure. The soil physical property is improved by adding some mineral and organic matter. The positive effect of organic matter on soil properties and plant nutrition is clear, but adding some mineral materials like zeolite to soil in order to improve soil properties needs to more investigation. Therefore, the aim of this research effect of application of zeolite and cow manure on some physical parameters of soil.
Materials and Methods: In order to study, the effect of zeolite and cow manure on some soil physical parameters a factorial experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with three replications in a greenhouse under the controlled conditions. The experimental factors consisted of natural zeolite at three levels (0, 6, 12 %) and cow manure at three levels (0, 0.5, 1%). Experimental soil samples were taken at a depth of 0-30 cm. Primary soil characteristics, cow manure and zeolite were measured according to standard methods. Soil of each pot was planted with experimental treatments with mixed ratios and corn seeds. All the pots watered with distilled water at field capacity based on weight before maize flowering plants for 75 days. At the end of the growth period, the plant was separated from the crown and the soil was dried. Physical parameters including bulk density, saturation moisture content, water dispersible clay and mean weight diameter of aggregates were measured according to standard methods.
Results: The results showed that the adding of zeolite levels increased the saturated moisture content (total soil porosity), the water dispersible clay and decreased the bulk density and the mean weight diameter of aggregates (dry sieve). The cow manure had no significant effect on bulk density, total porosity and saturated moisture content. However, the water dispersible clay and the mean weight diameter of aggregates (wet sieve) were significantly decreased by adding organic matter. Despite the positive effect of zeolite on bulk density and saturated moisture content, it showed a negatively effect on the water dispersible clay and the mean weight diameter of aggregates (wet sieve).
Conclusions: Zeolite, like any other compound, may have a positive or negative effect. Despite the positive effect of zeolite on some parameters, there was a negative effect on water dispersible clay and the mean weight diameter of aggregates. With considering the improving influence of organic matter on water dispersible clay and the mean weight diameter of aggregates the combination of cow manure with zeolite could somehow reduce the negative effects of zeolite.

In laboratory studies performed in the United States and Hungary, the dump fly Hydrotaea aenescens (Wiedemann) was reared successfully in manure of 1-to 8-wk-old dairy calves, and in manure from adult lactating dairy cows. Survival in manure collected from 1-wk-old calves was ...

Tanaman torbangun berkhasiat untuk memperlancar air susu ibu (ASI) karena mengandung laktagogen. Penelitian mengenai tanaman torbangun lebih banyak di bidang farmakologinya saja, oleh sebab itu perlu adanya penelitian di bidang teknik budi daya dengan menggunakan pupuk organik dan pemangkasan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendapatkan pengaruh pupuk organik dan pemangkasan terhadap pertumbuhan dan produksi daun torbangun. Rancangan penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok (RAK) pada siklus 1 dengan faktor pemupukan, dan rancangan perlakuan Split plot pada siklus 2 dengan pemupukan sebagai petak utama dan pemangkasan sebagai anak petak. Rataan hasil pada masing-masing siklus diuji lanjut menggunakan uji beda nyata jujur (BNJ). Pemupukan organik terbagi menjadi 5 taraf; tanpa pemupukan, pupuk kandang sapi+fosfat alam, pupuk kandang sapi+abu sekam padi, fosfat alam+abu sekam padi, dan pupuk kandang sapi+fosfat alam+abu sekam padi. Pemangkasan terbagi menjadi 2 taraf; tan...

— Different biotic and abiotic factors are involved in the availability of heavy metals in soil including organic matter. In order to study the effects of cow manure on cadmium availability and their interactions on common bean nodulation and growth parameters, an experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions. The treatments included five cadmium levels (0, 2, 5, 10, 20 mg cadmium per kg soil) and four cow manure levels (0, 15, 30, 60 t ha-1) based on a completely randomized design with three replications. Results indicated that increased soil cadmium concentrations caused higher cadmium uptake by root tissues whereas, Root nodulation and total N content of shoot tissues decreased significantly at all cadmium concentration levels except for 2 mg Kg-1. In addition, the interaction of cow manure and high concentrations of cadmium caused a decrease in nodule number, nodule fresh weights and total N content of shoot in common bean.