Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian Dairies
California is the leading dairy state in the United States. The total sale of milk and its products represents about $6.3 billion annually out of the $50 billion generated from all agricultural production in the state. However, methane emissions from dairy manure and enteric fermentation represented...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/1/120 |
| _version_ | 1797446292388970496 |
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| author | Hamed M. El Mashad Tyler J. Barzee Roberta Brancher Franco Ruihong Zhang Stephen Kaffka Frank Mitloehner |
| author_facet | Hamed M. El Mashad Tyler J. Barzee Roberta Brancher Franco Ruihong Zhang Stephen Kaffka Frank Mitloehner |
| author_sort | Hamed M. El Mashad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | California is the leading dairy state in the United States. The total sale of milk and its products represents about $6.3 billion annually out of the $50 billion generated from all agricultural production in the state. However, methane emissions from dairy manure and enteric fermentation represented nearly half of all annual methane emissions in California, with dairy manure accounting for 25%, and enteric fermentation for 20%. Methane emissions originating from manure are produced primarily from anaerobic settling basins and lagoons, which are the most common manure storage systems in the state. To achieve sustainability on dairy farms and to comply with state regulations for air and climate pollutants, dairy farms have implemented technologies such as anaerobic digestion and alternative manure management technologies. In addition, governmental incentive programs have been deployed to partially fund these technologies for eligible dairies in the state. The present article reviews the design and operations, effectiveness, and economics of the most common technologies employed in Californian dairies in reducing methane emissions. The technologies studied include anaerobic digesters, mechanical separators, compost-bedded pack barns, manure vacuuming followed by drying, and weeping walls. The current status and estimated effectiveness of government incentive programs are reviewed and recommendations for improvements presented. Finally, future trends and research needs for mitigating the emissions in Californian dairies are identified. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:38:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8bf13b2e125c4387a0a016139da8df58 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:38:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-8bf13b2e125c4387a0a016139da8df582023-11-30T21:09:40ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332023-01-0114112010.3390/atmos14010120Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian DairiesHamed M. El Mashad0Tyler J. Barzee1Roberta Brancher Franco2Ruihong Zhang3Stephen Kaffka4Frank Mitloehner5Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USACalifornia Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, CA 95814, USADepartment of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USACalifornia is the leading dairy state in the United States. The total sale of milk and its products represents about $6.3 billion annually out of the $50 billion generated from all agricultural production in the state. However, methane emissions from dairy manure and enteric fermentation represented nearly half of all annual methane emissions in California, with dairy manure accounting for 25%, and enteric fermentation for 20%. Methane emissions originating from manure are produced primarily from anaerobic settling basins and lagoons, which are the most common manure storage systems in the state. To achieve sustainability on dairy farms and to comply with state regulations for air and climate pollutants, dairy farms have implemented technologies such as anaerobic digestion and alternative manure management technologies. In addition, governmental incentive programs have been deployed to partially fund these technologies for eligible dairies in the state. The present article reviews the design and operations, effectiveness, and economics of the most common technologies employed in Californian dairies in reducing methane emissions. The technologies studied include anaerobic digesters, mechanical separators, compost-bedded pack barns, manure vacuuming followed by drying, and weeping walls. The current status and estimated effectiveness of government incentive programs are reviewed and recommendations for improvements presented. Finally, future trends and research needs for mitigating the emissions in Californian dairies are identified.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/1/120sustainabilityanimal farmscarbon footprintenvironmental impacts |
| spellingShingle | Hamed M. El Mashad Tyler J. Barzee Roberta Brancher Franco Ruihong Zhang Stephen Kaffka Frank Mitloehner Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian Dairies Atmosphere sustainability animal farms carbon footprint environmental impacts |
| title | Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian Dairies |
| title_full | Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian Dairies |
| title_fullStr | Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian Dairies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian Dairies |
| title_short | Anaerobic Digestion and Alternative Manure Management Technologies for Methane Emissions Mitigation on Californian Dairies |
| title_sort | anaerobic digestion and alternative manure management technologies for methane emissions mitigation on californian dairies |
| topic | sustainability animal farms carbon footprint environmental impacts |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/1/120 |
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