Bioresource Technology, Vol.100, No.20, 4683-4689, 2009
Prediction of the nutrients value and biochemical characteristics of swine slurry by measurement of EC - Electrical conductivity
Slurry samples, collected from 41 commercial swine farms in South Korea, were characterized in various physico-biochemical, macro and micronutrients, heavy metals and microbial parameters. Interestingly, significant variations were observed in all the parameters. However, positive relationships were noticed between EC and ammonia nitrogen (NH(3)-N), total nitrogen (TN), total potassium (TK) specific gravity, (SG), total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), fixed solids (FS), total dissolved solids (TDS) at R(2) =0.91, 0.74, 0.69, 0.60, 0.50, 0.48, 0.55, and 0.52, respectively. Whereas phosphorous and other nutrients shown poor correlation. Escherichia coli and Salmonella were counted at ail average of 5.04 log(10) colony forming unit (CFU)/mL and 3.55 log(10) most probable number (MPN)/mL, respectively. Equations for predicting nutrients content in swine slurries are presented with EC, because it is an easily determinable parameter, The data obtained in this study could be used as a guideline for Good Management Practices ill South Korean swine farms as well as other Countries. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.