For more: http://www.extension.org/67792
Gaseous ammonia emissions from feedlot operations pose serious risks to human and ecosystem health. In particular, nitrogen deposition in Colorado‟s Rocky Mountain National Park may be associated with livestock feeding in the western Corn Belt and Colorado. Feedlot operators can implement a variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce ammonia emissions. These BMPs vary in effectiveness, simplicity, managerial time, effort and financial capital. Although the ammonia-mitigating potential of various BMPs is well-researched, little research examines the barriers that prevent feedlot operations from adopting these BMPs.
2024.03.23 What do successful readers do - Sandy Millin for PARK.pptx
Feedlot Ammonia Best Practice Adoption: Barriers and Opportunities
1. FEEDLOT NH3 BP ADOPTION:
BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES
FROM WASTE TO WORTH:
“SPREADING” SCIENCE AND SOLUTIONS
J. Pritchett, C. Davidson, N. Embertson and J. Davis
APRIL 3, 2013
DENVER, COLORADO
James Pritchett
Colorado State University
Dept. of Ag. Res. Economics
James.Pritchett@ColoState.edu
970-491-5496
2. Adoption of BP Objectives
Overall Goal: Assist the industry and educators in
targeting best practice opportunities for NH3 emission
reduction. Objectives include ….
• Benchmarking the current use of BP that influence emissions,
• Exploring the best means for eliciting BP and demographic
information,
• Determining primary influencers of adoption in order to inform
education and assistance.
3. A Exploratory Experience:
The 4 State Survey
Who we surveyed in :
▫ Questionnaire to feedlots in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and
Iowa in 2008.
▫ Initial mailing followed by postcard reminder ten days later
followed by second questionnaire mailing to non-respondents,
▫ 160 feedlot responses, low response rate.
Information requested:
▫ Adoption of 13 BP’s,
▫ Economic and environmental perceptions of BPs,
▫ Farm characteristics and socioeconomic information.
4. Best Practices Evaluated in Survey
• Measuring and adjusting dietary crude protein to
meet animal needs
Nutrition • Hiring a nutritionist
BMPs • Practicing group feeding
• Using feed additives
• Providing shade in drylot pens
Drylot • Applying acidifier to drylot surface
BMPs • Applying water to drylot surface
• Providing bedding in drylot
• Removing manure more than four times/year
Manure • Collect runoff water from buildings and pens
BMPs • Incorporating manure within 48 hours after
application
• Testing manure, effluent, or compost for nutrients
• Performing a yearly soil test for cropland nutrients
5. What BMP’s are the survey
respondents using?
Best Management Practice Use Rate
Use feed additives (ADD) 96%
Measure crude protein (PROTEIN) 93%
Practice group feeding (GROUP) 88%
Perform yearly soil test (SOIL) 78%
Hire a nutritionist (NUTRITION) 77%
Collect runoff water (RUNOFF) 67%
Remove manure (CLEAN) 60%
Test for nutrients (TEST) 59%
Provide bedding in drylot pens (BED) 52%
Incorporate manure (INCORPORATE) 42%
Provide shade in drylot pens (SHADE) 34%
Apply water to drylot surface (SURFACE) 28%
Apply an acidifier to the surface of drylot pens (ACID) 3%
6. Respondents’ Perceptions about BP’s
Do you think the BP ….
BMP requires technical
is profitable? assistance? is costly?
PROTEIN 4.4 4.0 2.6
NUTRITION 4.1 4.2 3.1
ADD 4.3 3.7 3.2
GROUP 4.1 2.1 2.1
SHADE 3.4 2.2 3.4
SURFACE 2.9 2.1 3.4
ACID 2.5 3.0 3.4
CLEAN 3.7 2.1 3.5
BED 3.2 1.9 3.8
RUNOFF 3.0 3.2 3.9
INCORPORATE 3.4 2.2 3.5
TEST 3.8 4.0 3.4
SOIL 4.0 4.2 3.5
*Respondents asked to rate on a 5 point Likert scale: 1 is strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree
7. Probability of Adopting BMP by Profit Perception
5
Perception of Profitability
4
3
Bedding
Soil
2
Test
1 Incorporate
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Probability of Adopting BMP
8. Probability of Adopting BMP by Size
50000
40000
Head, Cattle
30000
Nutrition
20000 Clean
Runoff
10000 Test
Shade
0
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
Probability of Adopting BMP
9. Probability of Adoption by Type
Attribute(s) NUTR CLEAN SOIL RUNOFF TEST
Average Producer Legend
Small x 0.90-0.99
Large 0.75-0.89
V. Large 0.60-0.75
High Profit, Average 0.50-0.59
High Profit, Small x < 0.50
High Profit, Large
High Profit, V. Large Small 500
Low Profit, Avg. size Large 10,000
Low Profit, Small x V. Large 30,000
Low Cost, Small
High Tech, Avg. size
Low Tech, Avg. size
Low Tech, Small
Percent Adopting 77% 60% 78% 67% 59%
10. Future Opportunities
• Update BP information to match current science
and attitudes.
• Benchmark current BP use for trend analysis.
• Repeat adoption analysis for purposes of
targeting education and assistance.
• Synthesize and/or estimate benefits and costs
for select BP’s.