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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #423795
Research Project: Strategies to Manage Feed Nutrients, Reduce Gas Emissions, and Promote Soil Health for Beef and Dairy Cattle Production Systems of the Southern Great Plains

Location: Livestock Nutrient Management Research

Title: Effect of water application on ammonia emissions from simulated beef cattle feedyard surfaces

Author
item LEE, MYEONGSEONG - Texas A&M University
item AUVERMANN, BRENT - Texas A&M University
item BRANDANI, CAROLINA - Texas A&M University
item BUSH, K - Texas A&M University
item FERGUSON, GREG - Texas A&M University
item CASEY, KENNETH - Texas A&M University
item GOUVEA, VINICIUS - Texas A&M University
item SMITH, JASON - Texas A&M University
item TEDESCHI, LUIS - Texas A&M University
item Koziel, Jacek

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/25/2025
Publication Date: 10/31/2025
Citation: Lee, M., Auvermann, B.W., Brandani, C.B., Bush, K.J., Ferguson, G.B., Casey, K.D., Gouvea, V., Smith, J.K., Tedeschi, L.O., Koziel, J.A. 2025. Effect of water application on ammonia emissions from simulated beef cattle feedyard surfaces. Scientific Reports. 15. Article 38240. Available: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22069-0.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22069-0

Interpretive Summary: Confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), such as beef cattle feedyards emit ammonia (NH3). Ammonia lost to the atmosphere is no longer available as fertilizer, reducing the nutrient value of manure for land application. Most of emitted ammonia comes from fresh urine on cattle pen surfaces. About 80% of the total NH3 emissions from urine spots on feedyard pen surfaces are released into the atmosphere within the first 48 hours. Practical technologies for reducing NH3 losses from feedyards are needed. Researchers from ARS (Bushland, Texas) and Texas A&M University tested one such technology using water application under simulated feedyard pen conditions. Results showed that water application provides temporary reduction of NH3 losses. However, NH3 losses rebounded over time as the applied water evaporated, indicating that it primarily delays NH3 losses rather than permanently stopping them. These findings suggest that while water application provides short-term NH3 mitigation, additional strategies might be necessary for sustained emissions reduction.

Technical Abstract: Ammonia (NH3) emissions from beef cattle feedyards cause nutritional loss in manure and contribute to environmental pollution. Thus, the mitigation of NH3 emissions helps sustain and promote the production of environmental agriculture. Sprinkler-based water applications have primarily been used to reduce fugitive dust and heat stress in livestock. It has also been proposed as a potential NH3 mitigation strategy; however, its effectiveness remains uncertain for industrial use. This study evaluated the effect of controlled water application on NH3 emissions under simulated feedyard surfaces. Several environmental conditions (addition of urine, water and manure properties, and temperature) were subjected to different treatments, including repeated water applications or chemical amendments to improve the NH3 mitigation. Results indicated that water applications provided only a temporary mitigation effect (4–25%). NH3 emissions rebounded (1–19%) over time as the applied water evaporated, indicating that water primarily delays NH3 volatilization rather than permanently reducing total emissions. These findings suggest that while water applications provide short-term NH3 mitigation, additional strategies, such as chemical amendments or repeated applications, might be necessary for sustained emission reduction. By optimizing water application methods through further research, water application can become a valuable component of NH3 mitigation strategies for livestock operations.