Farm-scale evaluation of three cover systems (peat, synthetic sheet and polystyrene balls) for reducing ammonia emissions from swine manure stores and subsequent land spreading

Covering manure stores is a technique to achieve a reduction of NH3 emissions (Sommer et al., 1993). However few data are available at the farm scale and on the impacts on emissions from the subsequent land spreading. The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of three cover materials (peat, polystyrene balls and synthetic sheet) to reduce NH3 emissions during pig slurry storage and subsequent land spreading. The impact of the covers on greenhouse gas emissions (CH4, CO2 and N2O) during the storage was also measured.