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Obtained a PhD in Rural Engineering in 1990. He has been a Full Professor of rural buildings and agro-forest land planning since 2010. During his career, he has focused on housing structures and the management of livestock manure on intensive livestock farms. In particular, he has focused on reducing the environmental impact resulting from the management of manure on livestock farms and the influence of housing structures on the welfare of dairy cows, with particular reference to the automation of animal behavior assessment. Since 2000, he has served as chairman of the Working Group “Organic waste management” of the Research Network FAO-RAMIRAN. From 2016 to 2017, he was a member of the "Nutrient Recycling" Focus Group in the context of European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI, European Commission). He is a member of the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
Ammonia is recognized as one of the major atmospheric pollutants affecting air and ecosystem quality. The application of N fertilizers is a major source of NH3 emissions. It is necessary to develop simple, accurate and low cost measurement techniques to obtain representative data for a wide range of regions and agricultural practices. This information would improve national inventories and support decision-making processes regarding strategies for NH3 emission abatement. Measurement techniques can be complex, adjusted to specific conditions, labor-intensive and costly. This work analyses different methods aimed at reaching a balance between the accuracy and precision required for measurements and their complexity. Three techniques were tested under: semiopen passive chambers (SOCs) and an inverse dispersion model (IDM) combined with two different NH3 air concentration measuring techniques: ALPHA® passive samplers and acid bubblers. Different setups were evaluated testing different heights over the emitting surface. These techniques were assessed using micrometeorological mass balance integrated horizontal flux (IHF) with passive flux samplers as a reference method. The SOC results showed a close linear relationship with the IHF results (R2=0.784, p<0.01), although emissions after 16 days were 10.6% higher. The bLS IDM with acid bubblers showed promising results, although they were labor-demanding and required a power supply. The IDM with ALPHA® samplers placed at a 1.25-m height was demonstrated to embrace precision and close agreement with the IHF observations in our experimental conditions (R2=0.768, p<0.01; no difference from line 1:1; mean bias: 0.041 kg N ha−1h−1 and rRMSE: 46.1%). However, these data require special attention for periods of drastically changing weather, when the NH3 fluxes determined with air concentration samplers moved away from the overall emission pattern. Longer sampling intervals and the assumption of neutral atmospheric conditions in IDM may decrease costs, simplify the procedure and provide a cost-efficient alternative to the IHF method.
Eva Herrero; Alberto Sanz-Cobena; Viviana Guido; Mónica Guillén; Arturo Dauden; Rocío Rodríguez; Giorgio Provolo; Dolores Quílez. Towards robust on-site ammonia emission measuring techniques based on inverse dispersion modeling. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 2021, 307, 108517 .
AMA StyleEva Herrero, Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Viviana Guido, Mónica Guillén, Arturo Dauden, Rocío Rodríguez, Giorgio Provolo, Dolores Quílez. Towards robust on-site ammonia emission measuring techniques based on inverse dispersion modeling. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 2021; 307 ():108517.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEva Herrero; Alberto Sanz-Cobena; Viviana Guido; Mónica Guillén; Arturo Dauden; Rocío Rodríguez; Giorgio Provolo; Dolores Quílez. 2021. "Towards robust on-site ammonia emission measuring techniques based on inverse dispersion modeling." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 307, no. : 108517.
Excessive nutrient loadings from drainage areas and resulting water quality degradation in rivers are the major environmental issues around the world. The water quality further deteriorates for the large seasonal variation of precipitation and water flow. Environmental decision makers have been exploring affordable and effective ways of securing environmental flow (EF) to improve the water quality, especially in dry seasons, and agricultural reservoirs have attracted the attention of policymakers as an alternative source of EF. This study proposed an analysis framework for assessing the EF supply potential of agricultural reservoirs as alternative sources of EF. A reservoir water balance model was prepared to mathematically represent the reservoir water balance and quantify temporal variations of the amount of water available for the EF supply. The simulation model was designed to explicitly consider inflow from the upstream drainage areas, irrigation water requirement, and hydrological processes happening in the reservoirs. The proposed framework was applied to four agricultural reservoirs located in South Korea to evaluate its efficiency. Results showed that the additional storage capacity added by the dam reinforcement enabled the study reservoirs to satisfy both needs, EF and irrigation water supply. The surplus capacity turned out to be enough to satisfy various EF supply scenarios at the annual time scale. However, the current operation plans do not consider the seasonal variations of reservoir hydrology and thus cannot supply EF without violating the original operational goal, irrigation water, especially in dry months. The results demonstrate that it is necessary to consider the temporal variations of EF when developing reservoir operation rules and plans to secure EF. This study also highlights the unconventional roles of agricultural reservoirs as resources for improved environmental quality. The methods presented in this study are expected to be a useful tool for the assessment of agricultural reservoirs’ EF supply potential.
Young-Jun Jo; Jung-Hun Song; YoungGu Her; Giorgio Provolo; Jina Beom; Minhyuk Jeung; Young-Joo Kim; Seung-Hwan Yoo; Kwang-Sik Yoon. Assessing the Potential of Agricultural Reservoirs as the Source of Environmental Flow. Water 2021, 13, 508 .
AMA StyleYoung-Jun Jo, Jung-Hun Song, YoungGu Her, Giorgio Provolo, Jina Beom, Minhyuk Jeung, Young-Joo Kim, Seung-Hwan Yoo, Kwang-Sik Yoon. Assessing the Potential of Agricultural Reservoirs as the Source of Environmental Flow. Water. 2021; 13 (4):508.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYoung-Jun Jo; Jung-Hun Song; YoungGu Her; Giorgio Provolo; Jina Beom; Minhyuk Jeung; Young-Joo Kim; Seung-Hwan Yoo; Kwang-Sik Yoon. 2021. "Assessing the Potential of Agricultural Reservoirs as the Source of Environmental Flow." Water 13, no. 4: 508.
The adoption of best available technologies (BATs) by the livestock sector has a fundamental role in developing a sustainable agricultural system. Italy is the EU member with the highest percentage of manure treated, but processing facilities are regionally scattered and the adoption of BATs is far from being scaled-up. The adoption is a matter of multicriteria decision-making and full knowledge on how to foster the transition is still lacking. The present research aims to deepen the available knowledge by analysing the perception of 40 pig farm managers about decision criteria behind the adopted manure management system across three different Italian regions. We assessed farms in Piemonte, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Veneto. All farms have adequate storage facilities, but 82.5% adopt no processing technique. The two most important decision criteria are economic, i.e., the minimization of treatment and spreading costs. The emerging picture allows us to conclude that BAT adoption is still adopted as a mere consequence of legal obligation. Economic constraints prevail as there is a lack of information and uncertainty. Clear perspectives and recognition of virtuous behavior prevent farmers from making decisions based on environmental or social criteria. Therefore, effective policies oriented to fill these gaps are needed to accelerate the transition towards sustainability.
Pietro De Marinis; Omar Ferrari; Erica Allisiardi; Chiara De Mattia; Giuliana Caliandro; Elio Dinuccio; Maurizio Borin; Paolo Ceccon; Guido Sali; Giorgio Provolo. Insights about the Choice of Pig Manure Processing System in Three Italian Regions: Piemonte, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Veneto. Sustainability 2021, 13, 787 .
AMA StylePietro De Marinis, Omar Ferrari, Erica Allisiardi, Chiara De Mattia, Giuliana Caliandro, Elio Dinuccio, Maurizio Borin, Paolo Ceccon, Guido Sali, Giorgio Provolo. Insights about the Choice of Pig Manure Processing System in Three Italian Regions: Piemonte, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Veneto. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (2):787.
Chicago/Turabian StylePietro De Marinis; Omar Ferrari; Erica Allisiardi; Chiara De Mattia; Giuliana Caliandro; Elio Dinuccio; Maurizio Borin; Paolo Ceccon; Guido Sali; Giorgio Provolo. 2021. "Insights about the Choice of Pig Manure Processing System in Three Italian Regions: Piemonte, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Veneto." Sustainability 13, no. 2: 787.
Digestate is a nutrient-rich fertilizer and appropriate techniques are required for its application during the maize season to reduce losses and increase the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The performance of two different fertigation techniques (drip irrigation and pivot) were assessed using the digestate liquid fraction. A two-year field test was carried out at two different sites in Lombardy, northern Italy. At each site, fertigation with pivot (P-F, site 1) or drip (D-F, site 2) systems was compared to reference fields where the same irrigation techniques without addition of digestate were used. During the two seasons, the performance of the fertigation systems, amount of fertilizers used, soil nitrogen content, yields, and nitrogen content of the harvested plants were monitored. The digestate application averaged 5 m3/ha per fertigation event with P-F and 4.9 m3/ha with D-F corresponding, respectively, to 28 and 23 kg N/ha. Both irrigation systems were suitable for fertigation provided that the digestate was adequately filtrated. Our results suggest that fertigation with digestate, if properly managed, can be applied during the growing season up to the full amount of nitrogen required by the crop.
Viviana Guido; Alberto Finzi; Omar Ferrari; Elisabetta Riva; Dolores Quílez; Eva Herrero; Giorgio Provolo. Fertigation of Maize with Digestate Using Drip Irrigation and Pivot Systems. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1453 .
AMA StyleViviana Guido, Alberto Finzi, Omar Ferrari, Elisabetta Riva, Dolores Quílez, Eva Herrero, Giorgio Provolo. Fertigation of Maize with Digestate Using Drip Irrigation and Pivot Systems. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (10):1453.
Chicago/Turabian StyleViviana Guido; Alberto Finzi; Omar Ferrari; Elisabetta Riva; Dolores Quílez; Eva Herrero; Giorgio Provolo. 2020. "Fertigation of Maize with Digestate Using Drip Irrigation and Pivot Systems." Agronomy 10, no. 10: 1453.
For on-farm welfare assessment many automatic methods have been developed to detect indicators of reduced welfare. However, there is still a need to integrate data from single sources to obtain a complete picture of the welfare of an animal. This review offers a basis for developing integrated automatic systems to assess dairy cow welfare by providing an overview of the main issues that challenge cow welfare (e.g., lameness) and of well-established indicators that could detect these issues on the farm. Based on a literature review of 4 reviews on cow welfare in general and 48 reviews on single welfare issues, we identified 18 different major welfare issues and 76 matching indicators that could be detected automatically on the farm. Several indicators, e.g., feed intake, showed a consistent association with welfare across many different issues. Although some of these indicators are discussed critically, this means there are many indicators that potentially could detect reduced welfare in general. Other types of indicators could detect one specific welfare issue, e.g., increased respiratory rate for heat stress. These different types of indicators combined provide a basis to develop integrated automatic systems that ultimately would help farmers to detect welfare problems at an early stage.
Lisette M.C. Leliveld; Giorgio Provolo. A Review of Welfare Indicators of Indoor-Housed Dairy Cow as a Basis for Integrated Automatic Welfare Assessment Systems. Animals 2020, 10, 1430 .
AMA StyleLisette M.C. Leliveld, Giorgio Provolo. A Review of Welfare Indicators of Indoor-Housed Dairy Cow as a Basis for Integrated Automatic Welfare Assessment Systems. Animals. 2020; 10 (8):1430.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLisette M.C. Leliveld; Giorgio Provolo. 2020. "A Review of Welfare Indicators of Indoor-Housed Dairy Cow as a Basis for Integrated Automatic Welfare Assessment Systems." Animals 10, no. 8: 1430.
Protocols for manual weighing of turkeys are not practical on turkey farms because of the large body sizes, heavy weights and flighty nature of turkeys. The sounds turkeys make may be a proxy for bird weights, but the relationship between turkey sounds and bird weights has not been studied. The aim of this study was to correlate peak frequency (PF) of vocalization with the age and weight of the bird and examine the possibility using PF to predict the weight of turkeys. The study consisted of four trials in Egypt. Sounds of birds and their weights were recorded for 11 days during the growth period in each trial. A total 2200 sounds were manually analyzed and labelled by extracting individual and general sounds on the basis of the amplitude and frequency of the sound signal. The PF of vocalizations in each trial, as well as in pooled trails, were evaluated to determine the relationship between PF and the age and weight of the turkey. PF exhibited a highly significant negative correlation with the weight and age of the turkeys showing that PF of vocalizations can be used for predicting the weight of turkeys. Further studies are necessary to refine the procedure.
El-Sayed M. Abdel-Kafy; Samya E. Ibraheim; Alberto Finzi; Sabbah F. Youssef; Fatma M. Behiry; Giorgio Provolo. Sound Analysis to Predict the Growth of Turkeys. Animals 2020, 10, 866 .
AMA StyleEl-Sayed M. Abdel-Kafy, Samya E. Ibraheim, Alberto Finzi, Sabbah F. Youssef, Fatma M. Behiry, Giorgio Provolo. Sound Analysis to Predict the Growth of Turkeys. Animals. 2020; 10 (5):866.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEl-Sayed M. Abdel-Kafy; Samya E. Ibraheim; Alberto Finzi; Sabbah F. Youssef; Fatma M. Behiry; Giorgio Provolo. 2020. "Sound Analysis to Predict the Growth of Turkeys." Animals 10, no. 5: 866.
The aim of this 5-year study was to evaluate the technical, economic, and environmental performances of a collective-based integrated treatment system for bioenergy production and nutrients removal to improve the utilization efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of land applied livestock manure. The study involved 12 livestock production units located in an intensive livestock area designated as nitrate vulnerable zone with large N surplus. The treatment system consisted of an anaerobic digestion unit, a solid–liquid separation system, and a biological N removal process. Atmospheric emissions and nutrient losses in water and soil were examined for the environmental assessment, while estimated crop removal and nutrient utilization efficiencies were used for the agronomic assessment. The integrated treatment system achieved 49% removal efficiency for total solids (TS), 40% for total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and 41% for total phosphorous (TP). A surplus of 58kWh/t of treated manure was achieved considering the electricity produced by the biogas plant and consumed by the treatment plant and during transportation of raw and treated manure. A profit of 1.61 €/t manure treated and an average reduction of global warming potential by 70% was also achieved. The acidification potential was reduced by almost 50%. The agronomic use of treated manure eliminated the TKN surplus and reduced the TP surplus by 94%. This collective integrated treatment system can be an environmentally and economically sustainable solution for farms to reduce N surplus in intensive livestock production areas.
Alberto Finzi; Gabriele Mattachini; Daniela Lovarelli; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. Technical, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of a Collective Integrated Treatment System for Energy Recovery and Nutrient Removal from Livestock Manure. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2756 .
AMA StyleAlberto Finzi, Gabriele Mattachini, Daniela Lovarelli, Elisabetta Riva, Giorgio Provolo. Technical, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of a Collective Integrated Treatment System for Energy Recovery and Nutrient Removal from Livestock Manure. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (7):2756.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlberto Finzi; Gabriele Mattachini; Daniela Lovarelli; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. 2020. "Technical, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of a Collective Integrated Treatment System for Energy Recovery and Nutrient Removal from Livestock Manure." Sustainability 12, no. 7: 2756.
Currently, lying behavior can be assessed using continuous observations from sensors (e.g.: accelerometers). The analysis of digital data deriving from accelerometers is an effective tool for studying livestock behaviors. Despite the large interest in the lying behavior of dairy cows, no reference was found in literature regarding the prediction of lying behavior as a function of the interaction of environmental parameters. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of climatic conditions (temperature-humidity index, solar radiation, air velocity and rainfalls) on the lying behavior of a group of primiparous dairy cows, using data from accelerometers, and develop a prediction model to identify and predict the lying behavior of dairy cows as a function of the effects of environmental conditions. Results from the. GLM Procedure (SAS) showed that the model was highly significant (p < 0.001) and the r2 was 0.84. All of the effects in the model resulted in being highly significant (p < 0.001). This model, if validated properly, could be a valid early warning system to identify any deviation from the expected behavior, and to assess the effectiveness of thermal stress mitigation strategies.
Emanuela Tullo; Gabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva; Alberto Finzi; Giorgio Provolo; Marcella Guarino. Effects of Climatic Conditions on the Lying Behavior of a Group of Primiparous Dairy Cows. Animals 2019, 9, 869 .
AMA StyleEmanuela Tullo, Gabriele Mattachini, Elisabetta Riva, Alberto Finzi, Giorgio Provolo, Marcella Guarino. Effects of Climatic Conditions on the Lying Behavior of a Group of Primiparous Dairy Cows. Animals. 2019; 9 (11):869.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmanuela Tullo; Gabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva; Alberto Finzi; Giorgio Provolo; Marcella Guarino. 2019. "Effects of Climatic Conditions on the Lying Behavior of a Group of Primiparous Dairy Cows." Animals 9, no. 11: 869.
Management systems in modern dairy farms is an important issue in relation to animal comfort and welfare. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feed delivery frequency on the behavior patterns, visits to an automatic milking system (AMS) and on milk production of lactating dairy cows. The study was conducted on a commercial dairy farm with automatic feeding and milking systems. Feeding treatments consisted of two different frequencies, high feed delivery frequency (11 deliveries per day) and low feed delivery frequency (six deliveries per day). Lying behavior of 20 dairy cows was electronically monitored. The results obtained showed that 11 deliveries per day feed delivery frequency decreases the number of long-duration lying bouts, which may indicate that a very high feeding frequency disturbs the cows during their resting periods and thus influences both animal comfort and milk production. High feeding frequency may disturb the duration of lying bouts and alter the pattern of lying behavior throughout the day, affecting mainly the lying time during the 60 min before and following the provision of fresh feed. Delivering feed at a low frequency allow cows to distribute more evenly their lying time over the course of the day and improve their utilization of an AMS.
Gabriele Mattachini; Johanna Pompe; Alberto Finzi; Emanuela Tullo; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. Effects of Feeding Frequency on the Lying Behavior of Dairy Cows in a Loose Housing with Automatic Feeding and Milking System. Animals 2019, 9, 121 .
AMA StyleGabriele Mattachini, Johanna Pompe, Alberto Finzi, Emanuela Tullo, Elisabetta Riva, Giorgio Provolo. Effects of Feeding Frequency on the Lying Behavior of Dairy Cows in a Loose Housing with Automatic Feeding and Milking System. Animals. 2019; 9 (4):121.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGabriele Mattachini; Johanna Pompe; Alberto Finzi; Emanuela Tullo; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. 2019. "Effects of Feeding Frequency on the Lying Behavior of Dairy Cows in a Loose Housing with Automatic Feeding and Milking System." Animals 9, no. 4: 121.
To increase the sustainable reuse of animal manure as fertiliser, in many cases suitable treatment techniques are needed to modify the composition and obtain a balanced nutrient content. This study was conducted to evaluate the best strategies to remove solids, P, Cu and Zn, using two additives Ca(OH)2 and Al2(SO4)3, in combination with an ammonia stripping process. The assessment was carried out on five type of liquid fractions derived from the mechanically separation of: raw pig slurry, pig digested slurry, pig digested slurry after ammonia stripping, pig and cattle digested slurry, pig and cattle digested slurry after ammonia stripping. After the addition of the chemicals, the liquid fractions were mixed and then separated using a static filter. The contents of total solids P, Cu and Zn were determined. The additives effectively improved separation efficiencies which depended on the type of slurry and additive used. The P separation efficiencies ranged from 72% to 93% using Al2(SO4)3, and from 20 to 74% using Ca(OH)2. The use of Al2(SO4)3 always had a more consistent effect on the removal efficiencies than Ca(OH)2. The ammonia stripping process, reducing the alkalinity of the digested liquid fractions, facilitated a higher concentration of elements in the separated fraction. With the addition of Al2(SO4)3 to digestate after stripping the concentration of P, Cu and Zn in the solid fraction generally increased when compared to the same liquid fraction without stripping. The addition of Ca(OH)2 might be effective in removing P before the stripping process with the additional benefit to raise pH and improve the ammonia removal efficiency. These findings indicate that solid-liquid separation of animal manure slurries, assisted by chemical additives and coupled with ammonia stripping, can be a viable option for improving the sustainable use of animal manure as a fertiliser.
Martina Cattaneo; Alberto Finzi; Viviana Guido; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. Effect of ammonia stripping and use of additives on separation of solids, phosphorus, copper and zinc from liquid fractions of animal slurries. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 672, 30 -39.
AMA StyleMartina Cattaneo, Alberto Finzi, Viviana Guido, Elisabetta Riva, Giorgio Provolo. Effect of ammonia stripping and use of additives on separation of solids, phosphorus, copper and zinc from liquid fractions of animal slurries. Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 672 ():30-39.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMartina Cattaneo; Alberto Finzi; Viviana Guido; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. 2019. "Effect of ammonia stripping and use of additives on separation of solids, phosphorus, copper and zinc from liquid fractions of animal slurries." Science of The Total Environment 672, no. : 30-39.
Collective manure processing facilities to reduce nutrient loads and produce renewable energy are often proposed as feasible solutions in intensive livestock production areas. However, the transferring of effluents from farms to the treatment plant and back to farms, as well as the treatment operations themselves, must be carefully evaluated to assure the environmental sustainability of the solution. This study evaluated the global warming potential (GWP) and acidification potential (AP) of a collective treatment plant for bioenergy production and nitrogen removal as an alternative strategy to conventional on-farm manure management systems. Two manure management scenarios were compared: manure management on individual farms and management by a collective treatment plant. Data were collected at a collective processing plant and at the individual farms of the consortium to estimate emissions of CO2, CH4, N2O, NOx, NH3 and SO2. The plant receives manure from 21 livestock production units, treating 660 tonnes day−1 of manure. The GWP and AP indicators were calculated to evaluate the potential impact of the two management solutions. The collective solution reduced both GWP (−52%) and AP (−43%) compared to manure management separately by each farm. Further improvement might be obtained in both indicators by introducing mitigation techniques in farm manure storage and manure application to soil.
Giorgio Provolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Alberto Finzi; Martina Cattaneo; Viviana Guido; Elisabetta Riva. Global Warming and Acidification Potential Assessment of a Collective Manure Management System for Bioenergy Production and Nitrogen Removal in Northern Italy. Sustainability 2018, 10, 3653 .
AMA StyleGiorgio Provolo, Gabriele Mattachini, Alberto Finzi, Martina Cattaneo, Viviana Guido, Elisabetta Riva. Global Warming and Acidification Potential Assessment of a Collective Manure Management System for Bioenergy Production and Nitrogen Removal in Northern Italy. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (10):3653.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiorgio Provolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Alberto Finzi; Martina Cattaneo; Viviana Guido; Elisabetta Riva. 2018. "Global Warming and Acidification Potential Assessment of a Collective Manure Management System for Bioenergy Production and Nitrogen Removal in Northern Italy." Sustainability 10, no. 10: 3653.
Cattle and pig manure contain useful mineral nutrients (N, P, and K) and are therefore used as organic fertilizer. However, excessive applications of manure can cause environmental problems and threaten animal and human health because these materials also hold significant amounts of heavy metals, particularly Cu and Zn. To assess the potential risk due to the increased concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Zn, and Cr) in a harvested crop, two maize hybrids were grown in pots on four different soils with three different fertilisers (urea, pig manure, and cattle manure). Both soil and manure characteristics influenced the heavy metal concentrations in the plant shoots. Organic fertilisation strongly interacted with the soils and, in general, reduced the shoot content of Cu, Mn, and Zn. A preliminary assessment of the heavy metal balance of the agricultural systems based on the intensive livestock production and maize cultivation showed that the potential soil enrichment of the long-term application of livestock manure arises mainly from the application of pig slurries that have a high content of Cu and Zn. The time required to apply an amount of metal that is equal to the initial soil content is 60–300 years for Zn and 240–450 years for Cu, depending on the soil type and the initial heavy metal content.
Giorgio Provolo; Giulia Manuli; Alberto Finzi; Giorgio Lucchini; Elisabetta Riva; Gian Attilio Sacchi. Effect of Pig and Cattle Slurry Application on Heavy Metal Composition of Maize Grown on Different Soils. Sustainability 2018, 10, 2684 .
AMA StyleGiorgio Provolo, Giulia Manuli, Alberto Finzi, Giorgio Lucchini, Elisabetta Riva, Gian Attilio Sacchi. Effect of Pig and Cattle Slurry Application on Heavy Metal Composition of Maize Grown on Different Soils. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (8):2684.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiorgio Provolo; Giulia Manuli; Alberto Finzi; Giorgio Lucchini; Elisabetta Riva; Gian Attilio Sacchi. 2018. "Effect of Pig and Cattle Slurry Application on Heavy Metal Composition of Maize Grown on Different Soils." Sustainability 10, no. 8: 2684.
This study assessed a novel technique for removing nitrogen from digested organic waste based on a slow release of ammonia that was promoted by continuous mixing of the digestate and delivering a continuous air stream across the surface of the liquid. Three 10-day experiments were conducted using two 50-L reactors. In the first two, nitrogen removal efficiencies were evaluated from identical digestates maintained at different temperatures (30°C and 40°C). At the start of the first experiment, the digestates were adjusted to pH 9 using sodium hydroxide, while in the second experiment pH was not adjusted. The highest ammonia removal efficiency (87%) was obtained at 40°C with pH adjustment. However at 40°C without pH adjustment, removal efficiencies of 69% for ammonia and 47% for total nitrogen were obtained. In the third experiment two different digestates were tested at 50°C without pH adjustment. Although the initial chemical characteristics of the digestates were different in this experiment, the ammonia removal efficiencies were very similar (approximately 85%). Despite ammonia removal, the pH increased in all experiments, most likely due to carbon dioxide stripping that was promoted by temperature and mixing. The technique proved to be suitable for removing nitrogen following anaerobic digestion of livestock manure because effective removal was obtained at natural pH (≈8) and 40°C, common operating conditions at typical biogas plants that process manure. Furthermore, the electrical energy requirement to operate the process is limited (estimated to be 3.8kWhm(-3)digestate). Further improvements may increase the efficiency and reduce the processing time of this treatment technique. Even without these advances slow-rate air stripping of ammonia is a viable option for reducing the environmental impact associated with animal manure management.
Giorgio Provolo; Francesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Alberto Finzi; Ezio Naldi; Elisabetta Riva. Nitrogen removal from digested slurries using a simplified ammonia stripping technique. Waste Management 2017, 69, 154 -161.
AMA StyleGiorgio Provolo, Francesca Perazzolo, Gabriele Mattachini, Alberto Finzi, Ezio Naldi, Elisabetta Riva. Nitrogen removal from digested slurries using a simplified ammonia stripping technique. Waste Management. 2017; 69 ():154-161.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiorgio Provolo; Francesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Alberto Finzi; Ezio Naldi; Elisabetta Riva. 2017. "Nitrogen removal from digested slurries using a simplified ammonia stripping technique." Waste Management 69, no. : 154-161.
Management factors affect nutrient loss during animal manure slurry storage in different ways. We conducted a pilot-scale study to evaluate carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) losses from unseparated and digested dairy slurry during winter and summer storage. In addition to season, treatments included mechanical separation of digestate into liquid and solid fractions and bimonthly mixing. Chemical analyses were performed every 2 wk for the mixed materials and at the start and end of storage for unmixed materials. The parameters examined allowed us to estimate C and N losses and examine the factors that determine these losses as well as emission patterns. Gas measurements were done every 2 wk to determine the main forms in which gaseous losses occurred. To evaluate the effect of separation, measured losses and emissions of separated liquid and solid fractions were mathematically combined using the mass separation efficiency of the mechanical separator. Nutrient losses were mainly affected by climatic conditions. Losses of C (up to 23%) from unseparated, unmixed digestate and of N (38% from combined separated fractions and from unseparated digestate) were much greater in summer than in winter, when C and N losses were <7%. Mixing tended to significantly increase N losses (P < 0.1) only in winter. Mechanical separation resulted in lower GHG emissions from combined separated fractions than from unseparated digestate. Results indicate that to maximize the fertilizer value of digested slurry, dairy farmers must carefully choose management practices, especially in summer. For separated digestates, practices should focus on storage of the liquid fraction, the major contributor of C and N losses (up to 64 and 90% of total losses, respectively) in summer. Moreover, management practices should limit NH3, the main form of N losses (up to 99.5%). Copyright © 2017. . Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.
Francesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. Nutrient Losses during Winter and Summer Storage of Separated and Unseparated Digested Cattle Slurry. Journal of Environmental Quality 2017, 46, 879 -888.
AMA StyleFrancesca Perazzolo, Gabriele Mattachini, Elisabetta Riva, Giorgio Provolo. Nutrient Losses during Winter and Summer Storage of Separated and Unseparated Digested Cattle Slurry. Journal of Environmental Quality. 2017; 46 (4):879-888.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva; Giorgio Provolo. 2017. "Nutrient Losses during Winter and Summer Storage of Separated and Unseparated Digested Cattle Slurry." Journal of Environmental Quality 46, no. 4: 879-888.
In this study, eight different manure treatment plants were monitored. The plants were four on-farm and four centralized treatment plants, all of them at full-scale level. Assessment includes a total of seven pre-treatment and process units as follows: mechanical separation, with and without coagulant and flocculant addition, pasteurization, nitrification-denitrification, anaerobic digestion, and composting. The plants are located in nutrient surplus areas of three European Member States (Spain, Italy and Denmark), the majority of these areas being Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ). Results presented herein are data collected over a six-month period and comprise performance data of the treatment plants, pathogen indicators ( E.coli and Salmonella ) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data under two scenarios: 1) the baseline scenario and 2) the treatment plant scenario. The assessment includes GHG emissions of the storage facilities, transportation, and subsequent intermediate storage, electric consumption, electric production, composting, and land application. All treatment plants studied generated a significant reduction in GHG emissions (between 53 and 90 %) in comparison to the baseline scenario. Organic matter and total solids (TS) content in manure were also greatly reduced, with values ranging between 35-53 % of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and, 24-61 % of TS for anaerobic digestion (AD) treatment plants, 77-93 % COD and 70 % TS in the case of AD combined with nitrogen (N)-removal unit plants. Nitrogen concentrations were also greatly reduced (between 65-85 %) total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and 68-83 % ammonium (NH 4 + -N)) in plants with N-removal units. Key words: Greenhouse gas reduction; manure treatment technologies; anaerobic digestion; composting; nitrification-denitrification
Maria Cruz García González; Berta Riaño; Marta Teresa; Eva Herrero; Alastair James Ward; Giorgio Provolo; Giuseppe Moscatelli; Sergio Piccinini; August Bonmati; Maria Pilar Bernal; Hanna Wiśniewska; Marcin Proniewicz. Treatment of swine manure: case studies in European’s N-surplus areas. Scientia Agricola 2016, 73, 444 -454.
AMA StyleMaria Cruz García González, Berta Riaño, Marta Teresa, Eva Herrero, Alastair James Ward, Giorgio Provolo, Giuseppe Moscatelli, Sergio Piccinini, August Bonmati, Maria Pilar Bernal, Hanna Wiśniewska, Marcin Proniewicz. Treatment of swine manure: case studies in European’s N-surplus areas. Scientia Agricola. 2016; 73 (5):444-454.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Cruz García González; Berta Riaño; Marta Teresa; Eva Herrero; Alastair James Ward; Giorgio Provolo; Giuseppe Moscatelli; Sergio Piccinini; August Bonmati; Maria Pilar Bernal; Hanna Wiśniewska; Marcin Proniewicz. 2016. "Treatment of swine manure: case studies in European’s N-surplus areas." Scientia Agricola 73, no. 5: 444-454.
Storage of livestock slurries is a significant source of methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) emissions to the atmosphere, for which accurate quantification and potential mitigation methods are required. Methane and NH3 emissions were measured from pilot-scale cattle slurry (CS) and pig slurry (PS) stores under cool, temperate, and warm conditions (approximately 8, 11, and 17°C, respectively) and including two potential mitigation practices: (i) a clay granule floating cover (PS) and (ii) slurry acidification (CS). Cumulative emissions of both gases were influenced by mean temperature over the storage period. Methane emissions from the control treatments over the 2-mo storage periods for the cool, temperate, and warm periods were 0.3, 0.1, and 34.3 g CH4 kg−1 slurry volatile solids for CS and 4.4, 20.1, and 27.7 g CH4 kg−1 slurry volatile solids for PS. Respective NH3 emissions for each period were 4, 7, and 12% of initial slurry N content for CS and 12, 18, and 28% of initial slurry N content for PS. Covering PS with clay granules reduced NH3 emissions by 77% across the three storage periods but had no impact on CH4 emissions. Acidification of CS reduced CH4 and NH3 emissions by 61 and 75%, respectively, across the three storage periods. Nitrous oxide emissions were also monitored but were insignificant. The development of approaches that take into account the influence of storage timing (temperature) and duration on emission estimates for national emission inventory purposes is recommended. Copyright © 2016. . Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.
Tom Misselbrook; John Hunt; Francesca Perazzolo; Giorgio Provolo. Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia Emissions from Slurry Storage: Impacts of Temperature and Potential Mitigation through Covering (Pig Slurry) or Acidification (Cattle Slurry). Journal of Environmental Quality 2016, 45, 1520 -1530.
AMA StyleTom Misselbrook, John Hunt, Francesca Perazzolo, Giorgio Provolo. Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia Emissions from Slurry Storage: Impacts of Temperature and Potential Mitigation through Covering (Pig Slurry) or Acidification (Cattle Slurry). Journal of Environmental Quality. 2016; 45 (5):1520-1530.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTom Misselbrook; John Hunt; Francesca Perazzolo; Giorgio Provolo. 2016. "Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia Emissions from Slurry Storage: Impacts of Temperature and Potential Mitigation through Covering (Pig Slurry) or Acidification (Cattle Slurry)." Journal of Environmental Quality 45, no. 5: 1520-1530.
Although significant improvements in water quality have been achieved in Europe over the last two decades, water quality status is still below desirable levels in many locations. As in many other regions around the world, nonpoint source pollution from agricultural landscapes remains the key cause of water quality problems in many parts of Europe due to nitrogen surplus, and, in some countries, losses of phosphorus. A variety of physical, managerial, financial and political tools exist for addressing nonpoint source pollution from agricultural sources. However, water resource managers face difficulties in cajoling landowners to adopt the necessary actions, particularly if the effects of such actions to enhance productivity do not exist (or are not apparent). As shown by trends in groundwater quality data, there may be significant delays in observable water quality improvements after action has been taken. These delays in the response times of natural systems will further challenge the willpower of governments at all levels to provide the financial and human resources necessary to combat diffuse pollution. Consequently, there must be continued close cooperation between researchers seeking new control strategies, government agencies that fund such research and finance implementation and landowners who must adopt the measures. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Bien que des améliorations significatives de la qualité de l'eau sont observées en Europe depuis les vingt dernières années, l'état de la qualité de l'eau est. encore en deçà des niveaux souhaitables en de nombreux points. Comme dans de nombreuses autres régions du monde, les pollutions agricoles diffuses restent la principale cause de problèmes de qualité de l'eau dans de nombreuses régions en Europe, dues aux excédents d'azote, et, dans certains pays, aux pertes de phosphore. Une variété d'outils physiques, administratifes, financiers et politiques existent pour traiter les pollutions diffuses d'origine agricoles. Toutefois, les gestionnaires des ressources en eau ont des difficultés à persuader les agriculteurs d'adopter les mesures nécessaires, en particulier si ces actions sont sans effets ou peu visibles sur l'amélioration de la productivité. Comme le montrent les tendances des données sur la qualité des eaux souterraines, il peut y avoir des retards importants la décision et l'amélioration bservée de la qualité de l'eau. Ces délais de réponse des systèmes naturels vont contraindre les volontés des gouvernements à tous les niveaux de fournir les ressources financières et humaines nécessaires pour lutter contre les pollutions diffuses. Par conséquent, une coopération étroite et continue doit être engagée entre les chercheurs qui explorent de nouvelles stratégies de contrôle, les agences publiques qui financent la recherche et la mise en œuvre, et les agriculteurs qui doivent adopter ces mesures. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Giorgio Provolo; Guido Sali; Claudio Gandolfi; Jeongryeol Jang; Youngkweon Cho; William Magette. Situation, Strategies and BMPS to Control Agricultural NPS Pollution In The European Union. Irrigation and Drainage 2016, 65, 86 -93.
AMA StyleGiorgio Provolo, Guido Sali, Claudio Gandolfi, Jeongryeol Jang, Youngkweon Cho, William Magette. Situation, Strategies and BMPS to Control Agricultural NPS Pollution In The European Union. Irrigation and Drainage. 2016; 65 ():86-93.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiorgio Provolo; Guido Sali; Claudio Gandolfi; Jeongryeol Jang; Youngkweon Cho; William Magette. 2016. "Situation, Strategies and BMPS to Control Agricultural NPS Pollution In The European Union." Irrigation and Drainage 65, no. : 86-93.
Additives applied to animal manure slurries can affect the chemical composition and the biological processes of slurries during storage, with possible improvement of their management and reduction of environmental problems. Some new formulations are marketed claiming a nitrogen (N) removal effect due to denitrification, with the consequence of a reduced N content in the manure after storage. This study evaluated the effects of one of these commercial additives (BACTYcomplex) on slurry characteristics and N losses at a commercial piggery. The additive was applied to four different sectors of the piggery, each with an independent under-floor slurry pit; four other sectors served as controls without treatment. Pits were emptied every 4 wk, and the manure was analyzed for total and ammonia-N and total and volatile solids. Slurry samples from the last month of the on-farm assessment were removed and stored thermostatically in vessels external to the piggery. A subsample of slurry that was treated with the additive at the piggery was treated with an additional dose of additive at the beginning of long-term storage. The additive did not change the composition of the slurry during in-house storage (4 wk duration). During the 155 d of external thermostatic storage, the total solids content of treated slurry was reduced by 18% compared with control slurry, but the N content and composition of treated slurry was unaffected. The additive had a positive effect in accelerating the stabilization of the slurry but did not modify N losses. Copyright © 2016. . Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.
Giorgio Provolo; Alberto Finzi; Francesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva. Effect of a Biological Additive on Nitrogen Losses from Pig Slurry during Storage. Journal of Environmental Quality 2016, 45, 1460 -1465.
AMA StyleGiorgio Provolo, Alberto Finzi, Francesca Perazzolo, Gabriele Mattachini, Elisabetta Riva. Effect of a Biological Additive on Nitrogen Losses from Pig Slurry during Storage. Journal of Environmental Quality. 2016; 45 (4):1460-1465.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiorgio Provolo; Alberto Finzi; Francesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva. 2016. "Effect of a Biological Additive on Nitrogen Losses from Pig Slurry during Storage." Journal of Environmental Quality 45, no. 4: 1460-1465.
Among environmental issues related to intensive livestock activity, emissions to air from manure management are of increasing concern. Thus the knowledge of the effect of treatment application on subsequent emissions from manure is required to assess the environment impact of management solutions. This work addresses the effect of anaerobic digestion and phase separation on emissions during storage by studying nitrogen losses from lab-scale stores and field pilot-scale stores of a co-digestate cattle slurry and its respective separated fractions. Lab-scale experiment was carried in temperature-controlled room where each fraction (untreated, separated liquid and separated solid) was stored in duplicate for a period of 32 days in 30 L vessel. Pilot-scale experiment was carried out both during the cold season and during warm season for 90 days of storage. In both experimentations samples of the manure were analysed periodically for total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total ammonia nitrogen, dry matter and volatile solids and pH. These analyses allow estimating nitrogen losses in different storage conditions. Effects of mechanical separation and season were assessed by ANOVA (Wilcoxon test, P<0.05). In temperature controlled conditions nitrogen losses measured account for 13% and 26% of TKN for unseparated and separated slurries respectively. In field conditions during cold season nutrient losses were limited. On average unseparated and separated slurries lost respectively 6.8% and 12.6% of their initial TKN content. Much higher were the TKN losses from the slurries examined in warm season where losses raised up to 40% of the initial TKN content. Generally mechanical separation increases nutrient losses, but the differences were not significant in field conditions. The results highlighted that nutrient losses, in particular the nitrogen ones, can be considerable especially during summer storage. The latter, in case of separated slurries, are mainly related to the liquid fraction, which is responsible for up 92% of the losses. When phase separation after anaerobic digestion is used, mitigation options, as covers or slurry acidification, are advisable in order to limit the negative environmental impact.
Francesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Fulvia Tambone; Aldo Calcante; Giorgio Provolo. Nutrient losses from cattle co-digestate slurry during storage. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2016, 47, 94 .
AMA StyleFrancesca Perazzolo, Gabriele Mattachini, Fulvia Tambone, Aldo Calcante, Giorgio Provolo. Nutrient losses from cattle co-digestate slurry during storage. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2016; 47 (2):94.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesca Perazzolo; Gabriele Mattachini; Fulvia Tambone; Aldo Calcante; Giorgio Provolo. 2016. "Nutrient losses from cattle co-digestate slurry during storage." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 47, no. 2: 94.
Monitoring cow behaviour has become increasingly important in understanding the nutrition, production, management of the well being, and overall health of dairy cows. Methods of assessing behavioural activity have changed in recent years, favouring automatic recording techniques. Traditional methods to measure behaviour, such as direct observation or time-lapse video, are labour-intensive and time-consuming. Automated recording devices have become increasingly common to measure behaviour accurately. Thus, the development of automated monitoring systems that can continuously and accurately quantify feeding behaviour are required for efficient monitoring and control of modern and automated dairy farms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible use of a 3D accelerometer to record feeding behaviour of dairy cows. Feeding behaviour (feeding time and number of visits to the manger) of 12 lactating dairy cows was recorded for approximately 3 h with 3D-accelerometer data loggers (HOBO Pendant G logger). The sensors were positioned in the high part of the neck to monitor head movements. Behaviour was simultaneously recorded using visual observation as a reference. Linear regression analysis between the measurement methods showed that the recorded feeding time (R2=0.90, n=12, P<0.001) was closely related to visual observations. In contrast, the number of visits was inadequately recorded by the 3D-accelerometer, showing a poor relationship with visual observations (R2=0.31, n=12, P<0.06). Results suggest that the use of accelerometer sensors can be a reliable and suitable technology for monitoring feeding behaviour of individual dairy cows in free stall housing. However, further research is necessary to develop an appropriate device able to detect and recognise the movements connected with the head movement during feeding. Such a device could be part of an automatic livestock management tool for the efficient monitoring and control of comfort and welfare of dairy cows under the intensive conditions of modern automated dairy farms.
Gabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva; Francesca Perazzolo; Ezio Naldi; Giorgio Provolo. Monitoring feeding behaviour of dairy cows using accelerometers. Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2016, 47, 54 -58.
AMA StyleGabriele Mattachini, Elisabetta Riva, Francesca Perazzolo, Ezio Naldi, Giorgio Provolo. Monitoring feeding behaviour of dairy cows using accelerometers. Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 2016; 47 (1):54-58.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGabriele Mattachini; Elisabetta Riva; Francesca Perazzolo; Ezio Naldi; Giorgio Provolo. 2016. "Monitoring feeding behaviour of dairy cows using accelerometers." Journal of Agricultural Engineering 47, no. 1: 54-58.