project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
2017-006 - COMPOS GALLINAZA: Valorization of the poultry manure generated in laying farms of Basque Country
Objectives
One of the main objectives of the project is recovering and valuing organic subproducts from laying farms, which management is very problematic and costly nowadays, using an innovative composting system. The aim is also to reduce the Environmental Impact of the manure treatment, specifically GHG emissions and bad smells. Apart from that, the project also targets the production of high-quality organic or organic-mineral fertilizers, in order to reduce the use of mineral fertilizers and improve soil quality and biodiversity. To sum up, this project wants to demonstrate the possibility of creating a new business for those farmers into the Circular Economy.
Activities
1. Layer manure treatment: composting of the manure with the innovative COMPO machine;
2. Characterization of the generated product, an organic fertilizer;
3. Search for ideal formulations of new fertilizers for specific crops (that are economically viable and competitive), mixing the product with other organic or mineral materials;
4. Granulations process to get a product that can be applied with conventional spreaders;
5. Application of the new fertilizers in several crops;
6. Collection and dissemination of results.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014ES06RDRP015 Spain - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - País Vasco
Location
- Main geographical location
- Vizcaya
- Other geographical location
- Álava, Guipúzcoa
EUR 163 313.00
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Resources
9 Practice Abstracts
NEIKER FINAL REPORT
CONCLUSIONS
• The vertical composting process maintains the nutrients of the chicken manure at the expected levels, being comparable to other treatments
• The composting process is faster, with less effect on the environment and cleaner
• The compost obtained meets the requirements for classification B due to the presence of zinc, there are items where it meets requirements A, changes in the diet of the herd can ensure category A
• The application of this compost combined with nitrogen increases potato production compared to conventional treatments.
• The presence of nutritional elements in the soil are higher in the treatments that combine chicken manure and nitrogen, this is due to the extra contribution of extra elements different from N, P and K
The amount of vegetation was greater in the hypotheses that were fertilized with NPK.
The entire crop cycle without notable problems or pests or diseases.
5. HARVEST CONTROL AND CONCLUSIONS
Stems per tuber and tubers per meter and a half linear feet were counted in two contiguous rows in each variant.
In the variant only fertilized with organic compost, two feet had an abnormal tuberization, since they removed a large number of small tubers due to some exceptional factor.
The number of tubers larger than 70 mm is greater in the more fertilized variants. On the contrary, those between 65-70mm were more common in the hypotheses without NPK subscriber.
As a general rule, it was observed that the more fertilized variant tuberized for a longer time.
If we compare only mineral fertilization with the treatment that replaces the NPK background fertilizer with organic fertilizer, we can see that the number of small tubers decreases, so we can extrapolate it to a more vigorous initial tuberization and a development of the crop with the longer times. marked tuberization and tuber development.
For the evaluation of production, 10 linear meters of each variant were pulled by hand.
The results have been very favorable for all treatments with organic compost.
It must also be said that experience in potato cultivation tells us that, in most situations, the area fertilized with conventional fertilizer (bottom plus cover), plus organic fertilizer, would have been the most productive.
AGRONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY
1. PLOT:
The plot where the fertilizer tests have been carried out is located in the town of Matauko, it is apparently homogeneous and has a total area of 6.66Ha.
2. CROP:
• Variety of Potato: SPUNTA
• Caliber: 28/35
• Sowing date: May 20
• State of the soil: dry and rough
3. SUBSCRIBER:
- NPK (MG-S) 10-18-24 (2-5): 1,120 (Kg / Ha). Date: May 30, 2019
- AMMONIUM NITROSULPHATE 26%: 270 (Kg / Ha). Date: June 4, 2019
- ORGANIC FERTILIZER (AO): 12,500 (Kg / Ha). Date: May 13, 2019
The amounts of organic fertilizer have been calculated to cover the potassium needs of the crop with soluble fertilizer units.
The application of the organic fertilizer was carried out between two preparatory tasks of the crop.
- Hypothesis 1: 12,500 kg / ha organic compost
- Hypothesis 2: 12,500 kg / ha organic fertilizer + 270 kg / ha nitrosulfate
- Hypothesis 3: 12,500 kg / ha organic fertilizer + 1,120 kg / ha 10-18-24 + 270 kg / ha nitrosulfate
- Hypothesis 4: 1,120 kg / ha 10-18-24 + 270 kg / ha nitrosulfate
4. CROP DEVELOPMENT
The sprouting of the crop has been slow due to the circumstances of the land, which has many large aggregates, which led to its drying.
Good initial vigor is seen in all hypotheses.
The beginning of flowering and full flowering coincided on the same date in all hypotheses. The maximum flowering was reached on July 25.
There were differences in the duration of flowering. In hypotheses 1 and 2, by August 12 they barely had any loose flowers. On the other hand, hypotheses 3 and 4 were full of flower, also noting differences between these two, since hypothesis 3 had more flower quantity.
(continued in PA8)
GRANULATION CONCLUSIONS
Granulating the organic fertilizer in a format equal to that of mineral fertilizers is technically feasible and can be viable, as long as the sale price of the granulated product reaches levels higher than the minimum sale price that covers the costs. In other words, it depends on a good market position in the fertilizer sector.
These sales price levels, in the case of product 1 (granulated organic fertilizer), for the level between manufacturer and distributor and in big bags, should be between 280 and 447 euros / ton. The difference between the two extremes is due to the price that the manufacturer of the organic fertilizer would receive (studied between 0 and 90 euros / ton).
Product 2 (organo-minerals) is not sold as a final product, but as a transformation service for those cooperatives that want to transform a mineral fertilizer into one that incorporates organic fertilizer. The price would be between 145 and 198 euros / ton of final granule produced. The difference between the two extremes is due to the price that the manufacturer of the organic fertilizer would receive (studied between 0 and 90 euros / ton).
In the event that product 2 is charged with the purchase costs of the mineral fertilizer, and the organic fertilizer is considered at 90 euros / ton, then the final sale price should be around 438 euros / ton.
This model can be improved by some aspects that have not been considered here: other sources of heat instead of natural gas (biogas, biomass, waste heat, etc.), sale of waste heat from the granulation process itself, incorporation of other liquid waste into the formula, etc.
CONCLUSIONS
Through this cooperative project it has been shown that the composting of chicken manure and the production of organic fertilizers is viable, although it requires a great effort, both economically (investments, labor, ...) and commercial, and does not allow exceptionally large margins.
According to the numbers presented, the recovery of the investment would be in 7 years, which seems very reasonable to us.
Regarding the format of the fertilizer, it is known that the powder is not the most suitable for the application of the fertilizer, since it requires more work and machinery that farmers do not usually have. For this reason, the tests and the granulation study have been carried out, as well as the pelletizing tests.
The next phase of this project would be to decide what type of installation to choose to achieve a suitable format. This second process would entail an increase in cost in the production of organic fertilizer, but the product obtained would also have a higher value in the market. The key is to find that balance.
Environmentally speaking, this project has made it possible to improve the management of part of the chicken manure generated in Larrabe Oilotegia, with a significant reduction in emissions to the atmosphere. Based on theoretical calculations, pending the actual measurement results, it is estimated that there may be an emission reduction of up to 80% in the storage of the material. In this case, when we talk about emissions we are talking, above all, of ammonia, but also of CO2, due to the reduction in transport (the volume of material has been reduced by 25%).
With these considerations, there is a production cost of € 63.4 / t (without transport) and a 7-year return on investment.
In this case, the price difference between selling at the plant or at the client's home coincides with the cost of transportation, so we obtain the same results.
The sale prices used in this study come from a market study carried out in the field of organic fertilizers and are in accordance with the physical-chemical characteristics of the product. However, entering the fertilizer market with a new product is not easy and requires commercial action.
This project has facilitated this entry into the market, thanks to the tests carried out by the Garlan Cooperative, whose results have been very positive. These results have helped farmers have shown interest in this fertilizer.
(continued in PA5)
The following considerations have been taken for the Viability Plan:
- Working days: 320 days a year.
- Investment in the COMPO S-90 ET composting equipment: € 400,000, with a 10-year amortization.
- Investment in infrastructure (storage warehouse): € 100,000, with a 20-year amortization.
- Operation costs:
• Electricity cost: real cost according to the data provided by Larrabe Oilotegia (€ 25,483 / year)
• Personnel cost: 2 hours / day multiplied by the cost / hour charged to the project by Larrabe in 2019 (€ 14.39 / hour).
• Maintenance cost: it is stipulated at 0.3% of the investment per year (1,200 € / year).
- Income: The sale of organic fertilizer in powder format has been considered, either in bulk or in big-bags, with the following options and prices:
• Sale at the composting plant (not including transport): € 85 / t
• Sale at the customer's home (including transport): € 95 / t
- Transport cost: according to real data provided by Larrabe Oilotegia, € 10 / t of transport is considered.
(continued in PA4)
DEPARTURE DATA: source material
- Fresh chicken manure with 70-75% humidity.
- Broken eggs from the sorting center.
DAILY POWER SUPPLY OF THE MACHINE
- 10,000-11,000 kg of chicken manure.
- 10-50 kg of broken eggs.
DAILY PRODUCT OBTAINED
- 3,000-4,000 kg of NPK Organic Fertilizer, in powder format.
- Product humidity: about 30%.
- Free of pathogens, odorless.
- Very fine granulometry
- The product has been registered in the Fertilizer Registry of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as: ORGANIC FERTILIZER NPK 4-4-4.
It is very important to be constant in the loading of the machine, both in the time of loading, and in the quantity and characteristics of the material. If the humidity of the chicken manure varies, the amount that is loaded into the machine must be varied.
It has been shown that, with chicken manure, a high quality organic fertilizer is obtained, with high and very balanced percentages of nutrients.
The machine reaches 70ºC every day of loading and the resulting product is free of pathogens, sanitized, as has been demonstrated with the analyzes carried out.
(continued in PA3)
COMPOSTING RESULTS OF MANURE WITH THE COMPO S-90 MACHINE
For this project, a COMPO S-90 ET composting equipment has been installed in Larrabe Oilotegia, which is distributed by the Gipuzkoan company COMPO GLOBAL SOLUTIONS.
This machine is located in the farm's own facilities,
relatively close to the egg production houses (and therefore to the chicken manure generation) and next to a new building that has been built to use it as a maturing and storage area.
The composting machine works continuously, so every day
the organic fertilizer is unloaded (from the bottom) and the fresh material is loaded (from the top). The cycle lasts about a week, that is, what was entered today, it will come out in 6-7 days. Between the material that is at the bottom, composted and ready to be unloaded, and the fresh material loaded at the top, the tank is filled with the material that has been introduced the previous days. This material acts as a bacteriological bed. In short, the tank is always full.
(continued in PA2)
Contacts
Project coordinator
-
Compo Global Solutions S.L.
Project coordinator
Project partners
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Cooperativa Agraria Garlan
Project partner
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Ekonek
Project partner
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Larrabe Oilotegia SAT
Project partner
-
Neiker Tecnalia
Project partner