Recent Trials
SlurryBugs trial work was undertaken by Lancaster University at the Lancaster Environment Centre during Summer 2010.
The gaseous emissions and fertiliser value of SlurryBugs treated slurry and untreated slurry were recorded over a period of 5 weeks. For the trials all slurry was produced from the same herd of dairy cows on a diet of 26kg DMI per day. Treated samples were taken from a slurry tank and untreated samples were collected from a non-treated lagoon after 5 weeks.
Results Summary
Nitrogen
After 5 weeks the Slurrybugs treated slurry had the highest concentration of total N with a threefold increase over the untreated samples, with untreated slurry levels at 1.7Kg/m3 fresh slurry and treated slurry nitrogen levels at 5.6Kg/m3.
"In the treated slurry the ammonium nitrogen appeared to be used up by the SlurryBugs and transformed into organic forms of nitrogen, which is shown by the higher proportion of organic nitrogen retained after 5 weeks" explained Dr Maria-Fernanda Aller of Lancaster University who undertook the testing.
Phosphorous
Treated slurry samples contained double the phosphorous (P) concentration of the untreated samples. After 5 weeks the total phosphorous content of the untreated slurry was 0.54 kg/m³ in comparison to the treated slurry at 1.23 kg/m³.
Dr Aller comments "As observed with the nitrogen readings, SlurryBugs increases the percentage of organic phosphorous which could be due to phosphorus fixation by the SlurryBugs bacteria." This higher phosphorous content could indicate sweeter grass and better quality silage.
Dr Aller concludes:
"Following treatment, the larger amount of N found in the slurry has a positive effect on the organic N when applied to soils as this takes longer to break down in the soil. Overall results showed that the SlurryBugs treated slurry had better fertilizer quality and could promote reductions of ammonia and CO2 emissions."
To read a press release on the research click here
