Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
7/25/00
Contacts:
Dennis DeWitt, Dickinson County Extension, (712) 336-3498,
dewitt@iastate.edu
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496,
shoyer@iastate.edu
Composting Project Provides Valuable Information to Producers
SPENCER, Iowa -- A livestock composting project in northwest Iowa is helping producers make economically feasible decisions regarding disposal of their fallen animals. Iowa State University Extension livestock field specialist Dennis DeWitt said widespread interest in composting among producers continues to grow.
"The cost of using an on-farm rendering service is rising to several hundreds of dollars a month," DeWitt said. "Producers are seriously seeking a biologically and environmentally safe method of mortality disposal, and composting appears to fit the bill for many of them."
Most of the project's 14 sites are pork production facilities, and include finishing only, farrow to finish and pasture farrowing operations. Unit sizes range from 100- to 1,000 sows. A variety of co-compost materials are used, including sawdust, wood shavings, barley hulls and corn stover.
Program participants use temperature probes and data collection forms to record and track their experiences. Laboratory analysis of the finished compost material will be done later this year. A series of educational programs related to composting began in May and will continue as data is collected and analyzed.
ISU Extension agricultural engineer Kris Kohl works with DeWitt on the project that is funded by the Iowa Pork Industry Center.
ml: isufarm
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.