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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Sustainable Biofuels and Co-products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #325714

Research Project: Farm-Scale Pyrolysis Biorefining

Location: Sustainable Biofuels and Co-products Research

Title: Assessment of equine waste as a biomass resource in New York State

Author
item SHAYYA, WALID - Morrisville State College
item BALLARD, BEN - Morrisville State College
item Boateng, Akwasi

Submitted to: Extension Publications
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2016
Publication Date: 2/3/2016
Citation: Shayya, W., Ballard, B., Boateng, A.A. 2016. Assessment of equine waste as a biomass resource in New York State. Extension Publications. Morrisville State College, p. 1-18.

Interpretive Summary: Equine facilities produce residue (organic waste or biomass made up of manure and used bedding) that can be harnessed as a renewable resource. Applying the generated biomass to agricultural lands can serve as a soil amendment or may provide nutrients for growing crops. Alternatively, the generated equine residue may be used as an alternative (renewable) energy source after converting the residue into a usable energy form such as fuel such as gas or crude oil. Estimating the quantity and quality of the generated residue from equine operations is an important first step. This publication focuses on a procedure developed for assessing the extent of equine residue and bedding material being generated from different equine facilities in Central New York. It also focuses on assessing the characteristics of the generated residue. As part of the study, comprehensive sampling of residue and bedding material generated from equine facilities was conducted between 2012 and 2014. The results of the study were then combined with the agricultural census data available from the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to draw conclusions regarding the potential for utilizing the generated biomass as an alternative energy source in New York State.

Technical Abstract: Equine operations may generate excessive quantities of biomass (manure and used bedding) that could either become a waste or a resource, especially when the biomass is developed as an alternative energy source. Using the generated biomass as a resource can involve a variety of approaches such as land application for agricultural production, direct use as an alternative energy source, or the extraction of energy in more usable forms such as fuel such as gas or liquid crude bio-oil. Before the utility of such processes may be assessed, however, baseline information on the generated equine residue must be established. This study focuses on a procedure developed for sampling equine residue and bedding material followed by comprehensive sampling of a few equine facilities. The study included the sampling of 389 stalls on six barns located at three equine facilities on the campus of Morrisville State College (MSC), and two barns located at a commercial facility in Central New York. The sampling exercise was intended to quantify the bedding masses and volumes at these facilities, the characteristics of the sampled material, and the type of bedding material used. It also focused on assessing the process of stall cleaning, manure handling, and storage practices at each equine facility. The measurements made were then combined with the agricultural census data available from the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to draw some conclusions regarding the potential for utilizing the generated biomass as an alternative energy source in New York State.