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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #431608
Research Project: Sustainable Management of Manure Nutrients and Environmental Contaminants from Beef and Swine Production Facilities

Location: Livestock Bio-Systems

Title: Ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions when black soldier fly larvae are used to digest beef waste

Author
item Spiehs, Mindy
item Stromer, Bobbi
item MACINNIS, AMBER - Texas A&M Agrilife
item TOMBERLIN, JEFFERY - Texas A&M Agrilife

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2026
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can convert organic waste into high-quality nutrients for animal feeds or soil amendments. A study was conducted to determine the ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from beef pen surface material (PSM), beef wastewater (WW), and beef manure (MN) when BSFL were added to the waste product. Larvae were fed chicken feed mixed with water (70% moisture) for four days prior to the beginning of the experiment to allow them to grow. Pen surface material, WW, and MN (1000 g) were added to their respective 5.68 L plastic storage containers (34.6 cm x 21 cm x 12.4 cm). Black solider fly larva were counted individually and 1000 BSFL were added to each container. There were four boxes for each treatment and four empty box that served as backgrounds, for a total of 16 boxes. Two 14-day experiments were ran for a total of 8 experimental units for each treatment. For 14 days NH3, carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) were measured using Picarro C2509. The automated sampling system measured each box for 30 minutes before rotating to the next of 16 boxes. When the cycle was complete, the sampler started over at the first box, allowing each box to be measured for four 30 minutes periods during each 24-hour period. Once daily pH and temperature of the waste material was measured. At the end of the study, BSFL were counted in each box to determine the survivability and growth of the larva. Samples were also collected of the beef waste material for sample analysis. The PSM (870 ± 23) and MN (903 ± 23) treatments had greater numbers of larva alive at the end of the study than the WW (205 ± 32) treatment. The pH of the waste differed between Run 1 and Run 2 of the experiment for the MN treatment (8.6 and 5.6, respectively) but was similar for PSM (9.2 and 9.3, respectively) and WW (8.4 and 8.5, respectively). Growth of the BSFL was also affected by the run of the experiment. During Run 1, average larva size of the MN treatment was 63.4 ± 4.1g, which was greater than the PSM (24.9 ± 4.2 g) and WW (30.3 ± 3.1 g) treatments. During Run 2, the BSFL on the MN treatment had a greater mass (199.0 ± 8.6 g) than the PSM (28.3 ± 3.1 g) and WW (20.7 ± 2.2 g) treatments, but the mass of the MN treated BSFL was nearly three times larger than during Run 1. This larger mass of the BSFL corresponded to the lower pH of the MN treatment during Run 2 and will require further investigation. Gas and nutrient data are still being analyzed.