Project Number: 6406-32000-009-02
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 11, 2000
End Date: Apr 30, 2005

Objective:
Determine presence and activity of microbes in swine effluent as a function of environmental conditions and irrigation. Determine environmental cofactors which contribute to the presence and survival of Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp; E.coli 0157:H7, Pseudomonas spp, and indicator bacteria Enterococccus faecalis in irrigation water from swine lagoons and soil factors affecting movement into soil profile.

Approach:
In six commerical swine lagoons, which represent an array of different animal operations, sample the effluent from the center-pivot irrgation pipe and collect samples in the plant canopy with each irrgation event. Monitor the characteristics of the lagoon to include profile of temperature and biosolids in the lagoon during the summer. With each irrigation event characterize effluent collected from the pipe and the plant canopy for pH, nutrient contents, and percentages of organic and inorganic forms of each macro nutrient and correlate that with the presence of Campylobacter jejuni Salmonella spp; E. coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas spp, and indicator Enterococcus faecalis.