Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: 1. Protocol for estimating the water balance for a feedyard with sprinkler dust control. We synthesized the available, peer-reviewed knowledge on water consumption and water demand for all feedyard processes using significant volumes of water, including information on drinking water (e. g., Parker et al., 2000), evaporative demand (e. g., Marek, 2007), and sprinkler-system design and auditing (e. g., Leib and Strausz, 2006). This protocol, though conceptually complete and issued in the form of a case-study report, has not yet been published in the refereed literature (pending). 2. Prototype of a handheld data-acquisition and reporting system. We designed and assembled a prototype that includes radio-frequency identification (RFID), GPS-based personnel tracking, digital imaging, wi-fi (IEEE 802.11g) communications, and data-acquisition and -reporting capabilities that integrate many of the functions routinely assigned to feedyard pen riders, bunk readers, and other employees. We have recently (2009) upgraded the prototype with active RFID technology and higher-resolution GPS tracking in coordination with a private company that is interested in a commercial licensing agreement. 3. Adapted the latest version of a visibility-based technique devised by Kwon (2004, 2006) to our proposed ideas for estimating feedyard dust concentrations from digital imaging of high-contrast targets. In particular, we added the path-length dimension to improve the resolution of our estimates and used our preliminary results to develop a new NRI proposal (Auvermann and Kwon, 2008) that was partially funded in 2009 to take this approach a great deal further. 4. Spatial differentiation of in-situ manure quality for manure-harvesting operations. To extend our original plan using multispectral radiometry, we opted to use visible near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (VNIR-DRS) to measure moisture and ash in as-harvested feedyard manure. This shift in technique has been extremely fruitful methodologically but represents the same basic idea, to wit, that variations in moisture and ash content can be detected in quasi-real time by measuring the manure's multispectral reflectance signature. To date, we have successfully published one manuscript (Preece et al., 2009) on the ash signature, with manuscripts on (a) combined moisture/ash determination and (b) fuel-value determination submitted and in progress, respectively. We have also entered into a related collaboration with USDA-ARS scientists to adapt a non-invasive technique for mapping moisture, ash, and fuel value in situ. PARTICIPANTS: Thomas H. Marek, Research Engineer/Irrigation, Texas AgriLife Research; Graham Hartmann, Extension Associate/Instrumentation, Texas AgriLife Extension Service; Kevin Heflin, Extension Associate/Biomass Energy, Texas AgriLife Extension Service; Sharon Preece, Research Associate, Texas AgriLife Research; Gary Marek, Research Associate, Texas AgriLife Research; Dr. Robert DeOtte, West Texas A&M University. Professional development: Sharon, Kevin, Gary, Dr. DeOtte, and Dr. Auvermann collaborated on the synthesis of a conceptual model of mass and energy flows to evaluate manure-quality, environmental-quality, and natural-resource impact of regionally integrated cattle, crop, and biofuel production systems (presented at S-1032, Boulder, CO, May 2009). TARGET AUDIENCES: 1. Subject: Integration of manure-harvesting and pollution-control principles to optimize the management of cattle feedyard surfaces with respect to manure quality, manure value, and air quality considerations. Target audience: cattle feedyard managers, environmental managers, and end users of solid feedyard manure for biofuel conversion or fertilizer. Event: workshop and seminar, Hereford, TX, May 2007. 2. Subject: Principles of dust monitoring and abatement for open-lot dairies. Target audience: dairy operators, technical service providers (USDA-NRCS, private consultants, extension educators). Event: Workshop, Albuquerque, NM, October 2008. 3. Subject: Synthesis of manure-quality, environmental-quality, and natural-resource considerations for integrated systems consisting of cattle feedyards, crop production, and manure-fueled ethanol production. Target audience: scientists, engineers, and researchers. Approach: Development and presentation of a conceptual model of mass and energy flows in the three-component system (feedyard, crops, ethanol plant), S-1032 annual meeting, Boulder, CO, May 2008. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
1. Although the relevant industry and technology trends cannot be attributed to this project per se, the objection raised by Reviewer #2 of our original proposal - to wit, that the success of our handheld wireless DAQ system is predicated on acceptance of handheld PC technology by end users - has been answered in the affirmative. Commercial cattle feedyards now use these technologies routinely for a wide range of essential functions. 2. The validity and potential utility of visibility-based methods for aerosol measurement at feedyards have been established under the auspices of a follow-up NRI grant (Auvermann and Kwon, 2008) to which this project was a precursor. 3. Our water-use/water-balance protocol was deployed in early 2009 in a commercial-scale case study in a semi-arid, Western state. In this case, a cattle-feeding interest had submitted a permit application for a new feedyard; the permit application included the identification and securing of adequate water rights to support the dust-control system required by the state environmental agency. We used our water-balance protocol to evaluate and refine the state agency's original estimates of water demand. 4. Our integration of manure-quality, manure-harvesting, and air-pollution abatement concepts has been extended with the in-situ manure characterization methods using non-invasive and reflectance techniques. In situ characterization and mapping provides a science-based framework for incentivizing the production of high-quality manure while reducing air pollution.
Publications
- Preece, S. L., B. W. Auvermann, C. L. S. Morgan, K. Wilke, and K. Heflin. 2009. Determination of ash content in solid cattle manure with visible near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Transactions of the ASABE 52(2):609-614.
- Upadhyay, J. K., B. W. Auvermann, A. N. Paila, and N. Hiranuma. 2008. Open-path transmissometry to determing the atmospheric extinction efficiency of feedyard dust. Transactions of the ASABE 51(4):1433-1441.
- Hiranuma, N., S. D. Brooks, B. W. Auvermann, and R. Littleton. 2008. Using environmental scanning electron microscopy to determine the hygroscopic properties of agricultural aerosols. Atmospheric Environment 42(9):1983-1994.
- Razote, E. B., R. G. Maghirang, B. Z. Predicala, J. P. Murphy, B. W. Auvermann, J. P. Harner III, and W. L. Hargrove. 2006. Laboratory evaluation of the dust-emission potential of cattle feedlot surfaces. Transactions of the ASAE 49(4):1117-1124.
- Upadhyay, J. K., B. W. Auvermann, and K. J. Bush. 2008. Resolving autocorrelation bias in the determination of the extinction efficiency of fugitive dust from cattle feedyards. Presented at the Air & Waste Management Association Symposium on Measurement Methods and Technology, Chapel Hill, NC, November 3-6.
- Sweeten, J. M., K. Heflin, K. Annamalai, B. Auvermann, F. T. McCollum, and D. Parker. 2006. Combustion-Fuel Properties of Manure or Compost from Paved vs. Un-paved Cattle Feedlots. Presented at the 2006 ASABE Annual International Meeting, Portland, OR, July 9-12. ASABE Paper No. 06-4143.
- Mukhtar, S. and B. W. Auvermann. 2006. Air quality standards and nuisance issues for animal agriculture. Bulletin E-401, Texas Cooperative Extension, College Station, Texas.
- Livestock Environment Design and Management in the Next 100 Years: What's Achievable in 30 Presented at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting, Minneapolis, MN. May 18, 2007.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In 2007 we focused primarily on integrating (a) corral management for control of air pollution with (b) corral management for optimization of the fuel value of feedlot biomass (primarily solid manure). In May 2007, working through the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and an industrial biofuels company, we presented a one-day short course on tactics and strategies for manure harvesting and corral management that would help livestock producers reduce dust and odor emissions while increasing the "higher heating value" (HHV) of manure scraped from pen surfaces. Later in the year, we collected about 5 hours of high-definition digital video (HD-DV) footage of manure-harvesting practices using a wide variety of heavy machinery and estimating the potential economic return of various approaches and objectives. In the development of classroom curriculum, we developed and pilot-tested a 2-hour lecture series (slides and notes) related to the measurement and suppression of dust and odor
from open-lot livestock facilities.
PARTICIPANTS: Thomas Marek, Texas AgriLife Research Sharon Preece, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Graham Hartmann, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Jack Bush, Texas AgriLife Research Dr. Jeetendra Upadhyay, Texas AgriLife Research Dr. Steve Amosson, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Fran Bretz, Texas AgriLife Research May 2007 - professional development workshop for cattle-feedyard managers and environmental-services directors, Hereford, TX; Topic: Manure harvesting strategies and tactics for emissions abatement and increased biofuel/fertilizer value.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Owners, managers, and employees of beef cattle feedyards and open-lot dairies Biofuels end users Manure-harvesting contractors
Impacts
Our primary impact on the cattle-feeding industry was a measurable, increased awareness of the relationship among attentive corral management, reduced fugitive emissions, and biofuel and fertilizer value. Biofuel and fertilizer value is the primary means by which cattle feeders and dairy producers will be able to offset the expense of increased manure-harvesting frequency, which reduces dust emissions directly (by reducing uncompacted manure inventories) and indirectly (by making water applications more effective). At the May 2007 workshop in Hereford, TX, we measured the increase in knowledge of those principles using a pre- and post-workshop test. Attendees representing about half a million head of one-time feeding capacity increased their knowledge of the integrative subject matter by more than 50% as measured by paired test scores.
Publications
- Sweeten, J. M., B. W. Auvermann, S. Mukhtar, N. A. Cole, R. DeOtte, B. Weinheimer, D. B. Parker, K. Casey, C. B. Parnell, Jr., R. Todd, B. W. Shaw and J. Upadhyay. 2007. Natural resource management: air quality, water quality and manure management. Presented at High Plains Livestock 2027: Shaping the Future of Food Animal Production, Amarillo, TX, September 5.
- Auvermann, B. W. 2007. CAFOs: What is all the fuss about public health? Presented at the annual meeting of the Animal Agriculture Alliance, Crystal City, VA, March 20.
- Hiranuma, N., S. D. Brooks, B. W. Auvermann and R. Littleton. 2007. Size distribution and hygroscopic properties of agricultural aerosols. Presented at the 87th annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society, San Antonio, TX, January 15.
- Auvermann, B. W. 2007. Recent developments in feedyard air quality. Presented to the Arizona Cattle Feeders Association, Casa Grande, AZ, November 20, 2007.
- Wyatt, T., R. Slager, J. DeVasure, B. Auvermann, M. Mulhern, S. Von Essen, T. Mathisen, A. Floreani and D. Romberger. 2007. Feedlot dust stimulation of interleukin-6 and 8 requires protein kinase C-epsilon human bronchial epithelial cells. AJP: Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology 293(5):L1163-L1170.
- Upadhyay, J., B. W. Auvermann, A. N. Paila and N. Hiranuma. 2008. Open-path transmissometry to determine the atmospheric extinction efficiency of feedyard dust. Accepted for publication in Transactions of the ASABE (in final revision).
- Upadhyay, J. K., B. W. Auvermann, K. J. Bush, and S. Mukhtar. 2008. Nitrogen deposition in the southern High Plains. Bulletin E-464, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, College Station, TX.
- Upadhyay, J. K., and B. W. Auvermann. 2007. Introduction to visibility. Draft chapter submitted to USDA-NRCS for the National Engineering Handbook (provisionally accepted; in final review).
- Auvermann, B. W., A. N. Paila, N. Hiranuma, J. Upadhyay and J. Bush. 2007. Open-path transmissometry to determine the atmospheric extinction efficiency associated with feedyard dust. Presented at the International Symposium on Waste Management and Air Quality for Agriculture, Broomfield, CO, September 19.
- Auvermann, B. W. 2007. Rocky Mountain National Park: Ground zero for a growing Front Range and Colorado agriculture. Introductory comments presented to the opening plenary session at the International Symposium on Waste Management and Air Quality for Agriculture, Broomfield, CO, September 17.
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