Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition

This study quantified the potential of farm-scale composting to degrade antibiotics in dairy manure. The compost windrow, consisting of sick cow bedding from a 1000-cow US dairy farm, was managed using the dairy farm’s typical practices and monitored for tetracycline and nutrient composition. Sample...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jenna Schueler, Kayla Naas, Jerod Hurst, Diana Aga, Stephanie Lansing
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
Series:Antibiotics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/4/443
_version_ 1797537650857476096
author Jenna Schueler
Kayla Naas
Jerod Hurst
Diana Aga
Stephanie Lansing
author_facet Jenna Schueler
Kayla Naas
Jerod Hurst
Diana Aga
Stephanie Lansing
author_sort Jenna Schueler
collection DOAJ
description This study quantified the potential of farm-scale composting to degrade antibiotics in dairy manure. The compost windrow, consisting of sick cow bedding from a 1000-cow US dairy farm, was managed using the dairy farm’s typical practices and monitored for tetracycline and nutrient composition. Samples were collected over 33 days, which was the time from compost pile formation to land application as fertilizer, and analyzed for solids, antibiotics, and nutrient content. Average tetracycline concentrations at the beginning of the study (452 ng/g DW) were lower than at the end of composting (689 ng/g DW), illustrating that antibiotic degradation was not greater than degradation of the compost solids. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) increased from 15.3 to 18.4 g/kg during the composting period due to decreases in solids and likely inhibition of N-mineralization due to the presence of antibiotics. The results indicated that antibiotics were not completely degraded when using the farm’s compost pile management techniques, with antibiotics possibly impacting nitrogen transformation in the compost, which should be considered in nutrient management when using sick cow bedding. Additionally, the results showed that antibiotic degradation during farm-scale composting can vary from reported laboratory-scale due to differences in management, composting duration, and temporal conditions, illustrating the need for more extensive on-farm research including common farm practices and real-world conditions.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T12:18:18Z
format Article
id doaj.art-565fafde05a147eca1d1767beaaab833
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2079-6382
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T12:18:18Z
publishDate 2021-04-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Antibiotics
spelling doaj.art-565fafde05a147eca1d1767beaaab8332023-11-21T15:40:17ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822021-04-0110444310.3390/antibiotics10040443Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient CompositionJenna Schueler0Kayla Naas1Jerod Hurst2Diana Aga3Stephanie Lansing4Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADepartment of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14261, USADepartment of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14261, USADepartment of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14261, USADepartment of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USAThis study quantified the potential of farm-scale composting to degrade antibiotics in dairy manure. The compost windrow, consisting of sick cow bedding from a 1000-cow US dairy farm, was managed using the dairy farm’s typical practices and monitored for tetracycline and nutrient composition. Samples were collected over 33 days, which was the time from compost pile formation to land application as fertilizer, and analyzed for solids, antibiotics, and nutrient content. Average tetracycline concentrations at the beginning of the study (452 ng/g DW) were lower than at the end of composting (689 ng/g DW), illustrating that antibiotic degradation was not greater than degradation of the compost solids. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) increased from 15.3 to 18.4 g/kg during the composting period due to decreases in solids and likely inhibition of N-mineralization due to the presence of antibiotics. The results indicated that antibiotics were not completely degraded when using the farm’s compost pile management techniques, with antibiotics possibly impacting nitrogen transformation in the compost, which should be considered in nutrient management when using sick cow bedding. Additionally, the results showed that antibiotic degradation during farm-scale composting can vary from reported laboratory-scale due to differences in management, composting duration, and temporal conditions, illustrating the need for more extensive on-farm research including common farm practices and real-world conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/4/443antibioticantimicrobialwindrownitrogenphosphorus
spellingShingle Jenna Schueler
Kayla Naas
Jerod Hurst
Diana Aga
Stephanie Lansing
Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition
Antibiotics
antibiotic
antimicrobial
windrow
nitrogen
phosphorus
title Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition
title_full Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition
title_fullStr Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition
title_full_unstemmed Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition
title_short Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition
title_sort effects of on farm dairy manure composting on tetracycline content and nutrient composition
topic antibiotic
antimicrobial
windrow
nitrogen
phosphorus
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/4/443
work_keys_str_mv AT jennaschueler effectsofonfarmdairymanurecompostingontetracyclinecontentandnutrientcomposition
AT kaylanaas effectsofonfarmdairymanurecompostingontetracyclinecontentandnutrientcomposition
AT jerodhurst effectsofonfarmdairymanurecompostingontetracyclinecontentandnutrientcomposition
AT dianaaga effectsofonfarmdairymanurecompostingontetracyclinecontentandnutrientcomposition
AT stephanielansing effectsofonfarmdairymanurecompostingontetracyclinecontentandnutrientcomposition