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Revista de Ciências Agrárias
Print version ISSN 0871-018X
Abstract
BRITO, L. M.; AMARO, A.L.; MOURAO, I. and COUTINHO, J.. Composting cattle slurry solid fraction with Italian ryegrass straw (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) or gorse (Ulex europaeus L.). Rev. de Ciências Agrárias [online]. 2010, vol.33, n.1, pp.267-276. ISSN 0871-018X.
Cattle slurry solid fraction (SF) was collected from a dairy farm (SF) and composted with increasing rates of Italian rye-grass straw or gorse, in static piles turned only three times. Temperatures increased to a maximum of 65 ºC after the first turn in the pile only with SF. In contrast, higher temperatures were registered much sooner in piles mixed with straw or gorse. The addition of these bulking agents to SF increased temperatures and also the initial rates of organic matter (OM) mineralisation. In contrast, potential OM mineralisation and organic N content decreased. The C/N ratio declined following a similar pattern for all compost treatments, from 32-38 at the beginning of the process, to a value of 13-17 towards the end of composting. Stabilized compost was obtained from raw SF feedstock as indicated by the low compost temperature, low C/N ratio and the small content of NH4+ combined with increased concentrations of NO3-. The high concentration of OM (784-832 g kg-1) and total N (28-35 g kg-1) in final composts in addition to a low electrical conductivity (0.72-1.16 dS m-1) suggests that SF composts may be effective as soil amendments. The use of straw or gorse contributed to guarantee compost sanitation.
Keywords : Compost; mineralisation; nitrogen; organic matter; temperature.