Effect of sprinkler-based water application in mitigating ammonia emissions from beef cattle feedyards

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

Submitted to: Biosystems Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2026
Publication Date: 8/18/2026
Citation: Lee, M., Auvermann, B.W., Bush, K.J., Ferguson, G.B., Brandani, C.B., Casey, K.D., Gouvea, V., Smith, J.K., Tedeschi, L.O., Koziel, J.A. 2026. Effect of sprinkler-based water application in mitigating ammonia emissions from beef cattle feedyards. Biosystems Engineering. 271. Article 104575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2026.104575.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2026.104575

Interpretive Summary: Beef cattle feedyards emit ammonia, which is lost to the atmosphere, reducing the fertilizer value of cattle manure for land application. Practical and feedyard-proven technologies for mitigating ammonia emissions are needed. Researchers from USDA ARS (Bushland, Texas) and Texas A&M University tested the effect on ammonia emissions of a daily sprinkling of water on feedlot pens, because sprinkling of water is sometimes used to control dust emissions. The water sprinkling did not significantly change the ammonia emissions. However, ammonia emissions were temporarily reduced by rain events. Yet, these short periods of lower emissions were then followed by a significant increase in ammonia levels in a longer term, sometimes even increasing total emissions for the same period. This phenomenon, has significant implications, suggesting that sprinkling water might not be as effective as previously thought.

Technical Abstract: Confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are major sources of ammonia (NH3) emissions. One proposed short-term mitigation strategy in beef cattle feedyards is sprinkler-based water application. However, the effectiveness of on-feedyard water application practices has not been extensively investigated at the field scale. This study evaluated NH3 emissions at both research and commercial beef cattle feedyards in Texas and Colorado and assessed the effects of sprinkler-based water and precipitation as mitigation strategies. Emissions were estimated using open-path lasers and the inverse dispersion modeling (IDM). Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) were used to analyze changes in emissions in response to irregular precipitation. The average NH3 emissions at the research and two commercial feedyards were 42.9±36.6, 84.8±59.9, and 83.1±47.1 microgram NH3/m2/s, respectively. Consistent diurnal flux patterns were observed, primarily driven by ambient temperature (Kendall coefficient, 0.32). The currently practiced one-daily sprinkler application did not significantly mitigate emissions (p > 0.15), although it temporarily delayed peak emissions. In contrast, precipitation led to an average 30% mitigation in emissions (p < 0.05), suggesting that naturally occurring and uniform water application provides greater NH3 suppression than the current sprinkling practice. The findings highlight the need to optimise on-feedyard water application strategies with insights from precipitation and the consideration for long-term effects. Potential improvements include increasing frequency and timing, ensuring uniform distribution, enhancing manure moisture retention, and potentially using chemical amendments. Future research should refine these strategies to sustain NH3 mitigation while considering feasibility in large-scale feedyard environments and effects on other air pollutants.