Impact of peat and polystyrene ball covers on the ammonia emissions from the storage and spreading of pig slurry: a farm-scale study

Slurry pit covers is one of the current techniques used to reduce NH3 emissions. Moreover recent research has shown that the reduction of NH3 emission could also be sustained when considering the whole process (ie: storage plus land application) (Portejoie et al, 2003). Based on this research, the efficiency of a floating peat cover and polystyrene (:20cm) balls for a slurry store was evaluated (i) in a farm and (ii) after experimental spreading. The impact of the two covers on the emission of greenhouse gases (CH4, CO2 and N2O) during the storage was also determined.