On-FarmBiocharProductionandUse–PracticeGuideline:HowtoUseBiocharinBarns 1

Practice Guideline: How to Use Biochar in Barns

Why Use Biochar in Barns? Biocharcandoagreatjobofreducingammoniaandotherodorsinbarns,stablesandpoultryhouses.Thereareotherbenefitstoo:

• Biocharisveryeffectiveatcapturingnitrogen(N)thatisotherwiselosttoammoniavolatilization.

• Ammoniacreatesunpleasantodorsinthebarn,andharmstherespiratoryhealthofcreatureswhobreathit.

• Asammoniavolatilizes,thenitrogenitcontainsislosttotheatmosphere.Ifretained,thisNcouldhavefertilizedfields.

• AsNislost,phosphorus(P)isconcentratedinthemanure.WhenmanureisappliedattheappropriaterateforN,toomuchPisaddedtosoilwhereitcanleachintogroundwaterandcontributetoenvironmentalproblems.

• Alongwithodorandammoniareduction,biocharleadstofewerfliesandpathogens,forimprovedanimalhealth.

Biocharcanbeaddedtomanureafteritiscleanedfrombarns,butbythen,itisoftentoolatetomaintaintheN:PbalancebecausetoomuchNhasalreadybeenlost.Themostefficientprocessistousebiochardirectlyinthebarnwhereitcancapturenitrogenfromurineandmanureasitisgenerated.Forevengreaterimpact,biocharcanbeacidifiedinordertoincreaseitsabilitytocaptureN.Seebelowforsomemethodstoacidifybiochar.How to Use Biochar in Barns Amanurepackinthebarncanbemanagedorunmanaged.Anunmanagedpackissimplytheaccumulationofmanureandbeddinginthebarnthatiscleanedoutatregularintervals.Amanurepackmayalsobemanagedtoacceleratecompostinginthebarn.Typicallythisisdonebyacombinationofacidifierstopreventammoniavolatilizationandregularrototillingofthepacktocreatemoreaerobicconditionsforcomposting.Thereisanother,perhapseasierwaytodegrademanureinthebarnthatcanavoidtheworkofrototilling.PioneersinAsiahaveusedadifferentdecompositionpathwaytodigestmanureinbarns.Thisanaerobicpathwayisbasedonlacticacidfermentation,thesameprocessthatproducespickles,yogurtandsilage.Itdiffersfromanaerobicputrefactionbyproducingorganicacids,

On-FarmBiocharProductionandUse–PracticeGuideline:HowtoUseBiocharinBarns 2

alcohols,sugarsandotherbeneficialsubstancesratherthanammonia,hydrogensulfideandotherharmfulsubstances.TheprocessrequiresmoisturecontrolanddegradablecarbonanditproducesalowpH.ScientistsattheUniversityofHawaiidevelopedadrydeeplittersystemforpigbarnsinHawaiithatisbasedontraditionalKoreanfarmingpractices.Thesystemusesatleast60cmofhighcarbonbeddingmaterialmixedwithcharcoalandcinders.Itisinoculatedoncewithindigenousmicro-organisms(IMO),whichincludelacticacidbacteria.Notillingorstirringisrequired.Farmersusingthesystemreporthealthieranimals,almostnoodorsandnoflies.Biocharisanessentialpartofthisself-compostingmanurepackwhichcanremaininplaceforuptoadecadebeforecleaning.Thelacticacidinoculantalsoservestoacidifythebiocharandincreaseitseffectivenessinabsorbingammonia.AmmoniatendstovolatilizeatapHofaround9,yetbiocharcanhaveapHofaround10.WerecommendEM-1(EffectiveMicroorganisms),acommerciallyavailablemicrobialinoculantthatisavailablefromseveralmanufacturersintheUS.EM-1includesaconsortiumofspeciesalongwiththelactobacilli.Someofthesearefacultativeanaerobes,thatis,theycansurviveeitherwithorwithoutthepresenceofoxygenbyalteringtheirmetabolism.FormoreinformationaboutEM-1,wheretogetitandhowtouseit,seetheResourceLinksbelow.

A Protocol for Using Biochar in a Dairy Goat Barn WillowWittRanchhasasmallherdofdairygoats.Thegoatbarnhasamanurepackthatbuildsupoverseveralmonthsbetweencleanings.Alongwithsomestrawbedding,goatsdropsomeoftheiralfalfafeedontothefloorastheyeat.Wetestedtwomethodsofapplyingbiochartothebedding.Bothwereeffective.Method#1

• Makebiocharandcrushto¼”minus• TolowerpHandinoculatewithmicrobes,prepare10gallonsofbokashi(wheatbran

inoculatedwithEM-1)andmixwith16oz.ofmolassesdilutedintwogallonsofwater.• Mixbokashiandbiocharonatarp• Packmixtureinto55gallondrumstofermentforseveralweeks• Sprinkleone5gallonbucketofinoculatedbiocharper100sfofbarnarea,onceaweek

Biochar packed into 55 gallon drums is fermented with bokashi (made from wheat bran, EM-1 and molasses) for several weeks, lowering its pH from 9.5 to about 6. The white growth on top is beneficial filamentous bacteria.

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Method#2• Makebiocharandcrushto¼”minus• Spreadbiochartodry• Sprinkleone5gallonbucketofdrybiocharper100sfofbarnarea,onceaweek• Useadustmaskwhilespreadingdrybiochar• MakeasolutionofactivatedEM-1• SprayonequartofEM-1solutionper100sfonbeddingsurface,onceaweek

Biochar Is Also Helpful in the Barnyard Ifyouhaveoutdoorpensandyardswithmanurethatgetwetandmucky,usebiocharinthoseareastohelpabsorbtheodorsandmoisture.Noneedtocrushbiochartosmallparticlesizesasyouwouldforbarnbedding,becausetheanimalswillcrushitwiththeirhoovesandmixitwiththemuck.

After six months of adding biochar and EM-1 spray in the goat barn, ammonia odor is gone, even when digging into the pack.

Chunky, uncrushed biochar is perfect to add in the barnyard. In this cattle barn, animals have tracked biochar out into the yard where it helps control muck.

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Do Your Own Experiments Everybarnisdifferent.Dependingonthetypeandnumberofanimals,thebedding,andotherfactors,yourbarnmayneedmoreorlessbiochartocontrolmoisture,odorsandpests.Takealookattheresourceslistedbelowformoreinformation.Resources for More Information Generalinformationonbiocharinbarns:TheNaturalFarmingConcept:ANewEconomicalWasteManagementSystemforSmallFamilySwineFarmsinHawai‘i:MostFrequentlyAskedQuestionsontheIDLSPiggery.https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/33209/1/LM-23.pdfMakingWasteOurGreatestResource,byPaulOlivierhttp://www.esrla.com/pdf/landfill.pdfUseofBambooCharcoaltoRemovetheBadSmellofManureFoodandFertilizerTechnologyCenterhttp://www.fftc.agnet.org/library.php?func=view&style=type&id=20110801174821Biochar:HelpingEverythingfromSoilFertilitytoOdorReductionhttp://ecofarmingdaily.com/biochar-poultry-farming-unexpected-uses-biocarbon/OhioHeiferCenterrecyclesmanure,saves$800,000onbeddinghttps://www.progressivedairy.com/topics/manure/ohio-heifer-center-recycles-manure-saves-800-000-on-beddingInformationonbokashi,EM-1andotherinoculants:EM-1ApplicationManual–thiswilltellyouhowtomakeactivatedEM-1andbokashihttp://www.7springsfarm.com/content/EM1_APPLICATION_MANUAL.pdfNaturalFarmingHawaii–OdorlessPigTechnologyhttp://naturalfarminghawaii.net/learn-natural-farming/odorless-pig-technology/AnintroductiontoAsianNaturalFarminghttps://www.echocommunity.org/en/resources/d8397abc-c85f-47a8-96a3-a25c6660e3a5

This Biochar Practice Guideline was created in 2018 by South Umpqua Rural Community Partnership. Updates available at UBETBiochar.blogspot.com and WilsonBiochar.com.

Free to share with attribution.