Effects of bedding materials in applied poultry litter and immobilizing agents on runoff water, soil properties, and bermudagrass growth.

Poultry producers in the United States have begun using different types of bedding materials in production houses. Release into the environment of nutrients from applied poultry litter (PL) made with different bedding materials has not been investigated, and little information is available on nutrient concentrations in soils that receive broiler litter made with such materials. In this greenhouse study, two bedding materials (rice hulls and pine chips) in PL and two nutrient-immobilizing agents (gypsum and biochar) were applied to bermudagrass, and chemical and microbial contents of runoff water, soil properties, and plant growth were evaluated.

Microbial ecology, bacterial pathogens, and antibiotic resistant genes in swine manure wastewater as influenced by three swine management systems.

The environmental influence of farm management in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) can yield vast changes to the microbial biota and ecological structure of both the pig and waste manure lagoon wastewater. While some of these changes may not be negative, it is possible that CAFOs can enrich antibiotic resistant bacteria or pathogens based on farm type, thereby influencing the impact imparted by the land application of its respective wastewater. The purpose of this study was to measure the microbial constituents of swine-sow, -nursery, and -finisher farm manure lagoon wastewater and determine the changes induced by farm management.

Land application of manure and Class B biosolids: an occupational and public quantitative microbial risk assessment.

Land application is a practical use of municipal Class B biosolids and manure that also promotes soil fertility and productivity. To date, no study exists comparing biosolids to manure microbial risks. This study used quantitative microbial risk assessment to estimate pathogen risks from occupational and public exposures during scenarios involving fomite, soil, crop, and aerosol exposures.

Temporal flux and spatial dynamics of nutrients, fecal indicators, and zoonotic pathogens in anaerobic swine manure lagoon water.

Confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) often use anaerobic lagoons for manure treatment. In the USA, swine CAFO lagoon water is used for crop irrigation that is regulated by farm-specific nutrient management plans (NMPs). Implementation of stricter US environmental regulations in 2013 will set soil P limits; impacting land applications of manure and requiring revision of NMPs.

Nutrients and bacteria in common contiguous Mississippi soils with and without broiler litter fertilization.

In Mississippi, spent poultry litter is used as fertilizer. Nutrient and bacterial levels in litter and nutrient levels in litter-fertilized (L+) soil are known, but less is known of bacterial levels in L+ soil. This study compared contiguous L+ and non-litter-fertilized (L-) soils comprising 15 soil types on five farms in April through May 2009.

Comparison of selected nutrients and bacteria from common contiguous soils inside and outside swine lagoon effluent spray fields after long-term use.

Swine (Sus scofa domestica) lagoon effluent is a valuable resource. In the U.S.

Characterization of selected nutrients and bacteria from anaerobic swine manure lagoons on sow, nursery, and finisher farms in the Mid-South USA.

Swine (Sus scrofa domestica) production in the Mid-South USA comprises sow, nursery, and finisher farms. A 2007 packing plant closure started a regional shift from finisher to sow and nursery farms. Changes in manure stored in lagoons and land-applied as fertilizer were expected but were unknown because nutrient and bacterial levels had not been characterized by farm type.

Recovery of Salmonella from bermudagrass exposed to simulated wastewater.

Most confined swine (Sus scrofa) feeding operations in the southeastern United States hold manure in lagoons and apply effluent on bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] as fertilizer.

Rainfall simulation in greenhouse microcosms to assess bacterial-associated runoff from land-applied poultry litter.

Runoff water following a rain event is one possible source of environmental contamination after a manure application. This greenhouse study used a rainfall simulator to determine bacterial-associated runoff from troughs of common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

EPA worst case water microcosms for testing phage biocontrol of Salmonella.

A microplate method was developed as a tool to test phages for their ability to control Salmonella in aqueous environments. The method used EPA (U.S.

Characterization of Salmonella bacteriophages isolated from swine lagoon effluent.

Four Salmonella bacteriophages that had been originally isolated from swine manure lagoons were characterized and compared to each other and to well-known Salmonella phages P22 and Felix 01. Host ranges of the lagoon phages were similar to each other in spot tests on reference strains of Salmonella, but differed slightly from each other on a panel of Salmonella lagoon strains. In single-step growth at 35 degrees C the lagoon phages had latent periods of 15 to 20 min and burst sizes from 100 to 230.