 Top producers know that to get the best production, barn conditions need to be ideal. However, in an uncontrolled or poorly managed barn environment, solids can accumulate, resulting in the production of noxious odors that can reduce productivity and affect animal and human health.
When manure breaks down anaerobically the principal gases produced are ammonia, methane and hydrogen sulphide (H2S). By far the deadliest of these is H2S. Many remember from high school chemistry that the classic odor of the gas is described as rotten eggs, but at higher, more dangerous levels, which can easily occur when manure is agitated as the gas is heavier than air and "pools" near the ground level, H2S gas paralyses the olfactory system, so becoming apparently odorless.
The effects of varying levels of H2S are described below: Up to 5 ppm - Offensive odor, possible nausea 150 ppm - Olfactory nerve paralysis, death within 30 min. 700 ppm - Rapid death
(Source: Canada Plan Service Plan M10710 "Manure Gas"
Effects of ammonia on humans and animals health
5 ppm - Lowest level detectable by smell
6 ppm - Eye and respiratory irritation begins
11 ppm - Animal performance reduced
25 ppm - Maximum level for 8 hr exposure
35 ppm - Maximum level for 10 Min exposure.
40 ppm - Headache, nausea and loss of appetite in humans
55 ppm - Severe reductions in animal performance & health. Increased possibility of pneumonia
100 ppm - Sneezing, salivation, irritation to mucosal surfaced in animals and humans.
| In a recent study conducted by the US National Pork Producers Council, over 30 slurry treatment products were evaluated for effectiveness. In this independent study BioCharge was the only product that tested positive for:
Reduction of COD
Reduction of ammonia
Reduction of hydrogen sulphide | |
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Working closely with producers across Canada, we realized that to effectively solve odor and waste management problems required a focused, targeted approach and solutions that were practical in application.
This resulted in the development of the integrated management approach:
BioBac - a biological feed additive, to help animals digest more feed, reducing solids output at source;
BioCharge - a biological slurry treatment for pits and lagoons, to reduce solids and odors and to ease waste management. Used at start-up in pits and as an ongoing treatment for lagoons.
During the early stages of development, all animal digestive systems are deficient in enzyme activity, as the graph for pigs shows. Supplementing the digestive enzyme activity throughout the growth cycle helps the animal to digest feed more efficiently, reducing waste and improving growth.
BioBac contains active components similar to those in our pit and lagoon treatment, but has been developed to be safe for animal feeding and is registered with the CFIA as a feed additive (Registration number 981997). In commercial use BioBac has consistently reduced barn odors and ammonia levels and significantly reduced solids in underfloor pits. BioCharge has consistently been shown to reduce the production of odor compounds from slurry, as the chart below shows.
The actives in BioBac and BioCharge have also been shown to reduce the level of suspended solids in the slurry (see graph below).
The photographs above show a case study where the BioBac/ BioCharge system was used to eliminate lagoon crust over a 5 week treatment period.
The activity of the microbes in BioCharge also dramatically reduces slurry BOD, as the microbes utilize slurry organic matter for growth. The graph below shows the reduction in BOD achieved over two months using the BioCharge treatment programme.
Pig feeding trial at the Atlantic Veterinary College, PEI.
Pigs were fed from 55 days to finish. Diets were identical except that treated group received feed with BioBac added at 250g/tone.
Adjusted for the effect of pen, gender and start weight, pigs fed treated with BioBac gained 10% faster.
0.096 kg increase in ADG (+10% vs. control)
4.4% pf the control animals were treated for disease, none were treated in the BioBac group.
Mortality: Control 3%, BioBac nil.
The BioBac/ BioCharge programme has been developed by Biological Technologies Consulting using the best available biological technologies to ensure products meet the detailed criteria specified by our product development team.
Our products are manufactured to strict quality control procedures to ensure reproducibility and reliability from batch to batch. All of our products have been extensively tested in commercial agricultural business operations prior to market introduction.
BioBac is available as a high potency powder format to be utilized at 280g per tonne of feed. The product is supplied in 22.7 kg pails and can be incorporated into feed or applied as a top dressing.
BioCharge is supplied as a high activity powder concentrate to be mixed with water and applied directly to pits or lagoons. In barns with partially filled underfloor pits, BioCharge should be applied to pits prior to integrating BioBac into the feeding program to charge the system.
BioBac ENZYME SUPPLEMENT FOR LIVESTOCK FEED
BioCharge BIOLOGICAL CONCENTRATE FOR PIT AND LAGOON TREATMENT
DISTRIBUTED BY POWERFILL 1-877-774-5243
Developed and Manufactured by: Biological Technologies Consulting Inc. PO Box 935, NOTL, Ontario, LOS 1J0 Canada. | 
