2006 PSU PDA Cattle Composting Study Hobo Data
2006 PSU PDA Cattle Composting Study Hobo Data Loggers J. Craig Williams Penn State Coop. Extension Composting. cas. psu. edu
NACAA AM/PIC • • Basic Mortality Composting Project Onset Data Loggers Experiences J. Craig Williams, Dairy Agronomy Agent – Tioga County, Pa – 16 Years Extension
Natural Rendering: Composting Livestock Mortality • Penn State and Pa Dept of Agriculture • Composting procedures • Downer cow update/ Dead cow update • Cornell Waste Mgnt. Int. And Maine Compost Team
Siting for Composting Select site that is well-drained, at least 200 ft from water courses, sinkholes, seasonal seeps or other landscape features that indicate the area is hydrologically sensitive.
Wood Chip Bed Lay 24 -in bed of bulky, absorbing organic material containing some sizeable pieces (4 to 6 -in long). Utility and municipal wood chips work well.
Recipe for Small Animals For young animals, layer mortalities with a minimum of 2 feet of co-composting material.
Recipe for Large Animal
Covering Carcass Cover carcass with dry, high-carbon cocomposting material, like old silage, sawdust, or dry stall bedding (some semisolid manure will expedite the process).
Composting continued • Let set for 4 -6 months. • Turn only if desired after 3 months. • Reuse bones as part of next base. 6 month old Compost Reuse old compost
Onset Hobo Data Loggers • Onset – Data Loggers and Weather stations – Indoor, Outdoor, Underwater and Tilt/Acc. – Hobo U 12 -008 • $199 – 20 Foot cable-$35 each • Total $339 set up – Shuttle $169 – Boxcar Software $99 • Total $268 Office • www. onsetcomp. com/ • hobologgers. com • PSU PDA Project was to document Real Farm Composting temperature, including internal carcass
HOBO 008
Graphing
Cow Compost
Dairy Farm Cow Temp’s
Start January March HOBO Data Recorders every 6 hours for 6 months
Bishop
Started Second Pile Late January -July
ID Temperature points
Start June to August 2006
Hobo Recorders
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