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Article
Alcohol, Volatile Fatty Acid, Phenol, and Methane Emissions from Dairy Cows and Fresh Manure
Journal of Environmental Quality
  • Huawei Sun, University of California, Davis
  • Steven L. Trabue, United States Department of Agriculture
  • Kenwood D. Scoggin, United States Department of Agriculture
  • Wendi A. Jackson, University of California, Davis
  • Yuee Pan, University of California, Davis
  • Yongjing Zhao, University of California, Davis
  • Irina L. Malkina, University of California, Davis
  • Jacek A. Koziel, Iowa State University
  • Frank M. Mitloehner, University of California, Davis
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2008
DOI
10.2134/jeq2007.0357
Abstract

There are approximately 2.5 million dairy cows in California. Emission inventories list dairy cows and their manure as the major source of regional air pollutants, but data on their actual emissions remain sparse, particularly for smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases (GHGs). We report measurements of alcohols, volatile fatty acids, phenols, and methane (CH4) emitted from nonlactating (dry) and lactating dairy cows and their manure under controlled conditions. The experiment was conducted in an environmental chamber that simulates commercial concrete-floored freestall cow housing conditions. The fluxes of methanol, ethanol, and CH4 were measured from cows and/or their fresh manure. The average estimated methanol and ethanol emissions were 0.33 and 0.51 g cow−1 h−1 from dry cows and manure and 0.7 and 1.27 g cow−1 h−1 from lactating cows and manure, respectively. Both alcohols increased over time, coinciding with increasing accumulation of manure on the chamber floor. Volatile fatty acids and phenols were emitted at concentrations close to their detection limit. Average estimated CH4emissions were predominantly associated with enteric fermentation from cows rather than manure and were 12.35 and 18.23 g cow−1 h−1 for dry and lactating cows, respectively. Lactating cows produced considerably more gaseous VOCs and GHGs emissions than dry cows (P < 0.001). Dairy cows and fresh manure have the potential to emit considerable amounts of alcohols and CH4 and research is needed to determine effective mitigation.

Comments

This article is from Journal of Environmental Quality 37, no. 2 (2008): 615–622, doi: 10.2134/jeq2007.0357.

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Open
Rights
Works produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted.
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Huawei Sun, Steven L. Trabue, Kenwood D. Scoggin, Wendi A. Jackson, et al.. "Alcohol, Volatile Fatty Acid, Phenol, and Methane Emissions from Dairy Cows and Fresh Manure" Journal of Environmental Quality Vol. 37 Iss. 2 (2008) p. 615 - 622
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jacek_koziel/8/