Kingshay trial success for Epizym Cattle slurry treatment

Kingshay, the independent dairy specialists, have trialled Epizyms cattle slurry additive at their base on a commercial dairy farm in the heart of Somerset.

Kingshay, which offers practical, unbiased information based on its own technical farm trials, selected Epizym Cattle for use in the first stage of a set of trials looking at the effect of a range of slurry additives. This first stage was designed to develop a protocol which allows any benefits of slurry additives to be evaluated, explains technical manager Martin Yeates.

Epizym Cattle, launched in 1997, uses bacteria to liquefy and deodorize slurry in livestock systems. This makes slurry management easier, improves fertiliser value and significantly reduces odour and other gaseous emissions. Were delighted to be working with Kingshay, says Managing Director Stuart Aitkenhead. We value their independent analysis and welcome the results from any work they do around slurry additives, as this product is so often undervalued in its ability to save farmers time, hassle and money in a very cost effective, simple way.

Jo Scamell initiates trial

The trial was initiated by Jo Scamell of Ground Level Nutrition Ltd, who works as an independent adviser to offer a Soil Improvement Programme to farmers on behalf of Kingshay. Healthy soil is arguably the most valuable natural resource on any farm yet its potential is often underestimated. Enhancing the value of slurry and ensuring intelligent application can significantly improve soil performance and offer valuable savings on artificial fertilisers.

Livestock farmers are becoming increasingly interested in the potential to increase the value of slurry and FYM on farm. Advice relating to the performance of slurry additives is key in progressing the efficiency with which natural fertilisers can enhance biological agriculture and soil nutrient availability.

Key areas were investigated to evaluate:

1. Nitrogen Increase

2. Aerobic Bacteria count

3. Slurry Crust reduction

A trial period was set at six weeks.

Trial results

1) Nitrogen Increase

Epizym Cattle produced statistically significant increases in total nitrogen (total N) and ammonium nitrogen (ammonium N) compared with non-treated slurry after just 6 weeks.

Kgs/tonne fresh slurry	Non Treated	With Epizym	% difference
Total nitrogen	1.85	2.24	+20.9%
Ammonium N	0.88	0.93	+6.08%
Organic N	0.97	1.31	+35.0%

Organic N

Organic N is the difference between total N and ammonium N, as the levels of nitrate and nitrite are very low indeed in slurry. Much of the increase in organic N is expected to be in the bacteria that have multiplied from the initial Epizym culture. Once this slurry has been spread, organic N will become quickly available to the plants as the bacteria die. This will then supplement the ammonium N.

2) Aerobic Bacteria Count

Total Viable Count (TVC) aerobic bacteria, after 5 days, in colony forming units per gram of slurry(Cfu/g).

Control (Cfu/g)	Epizym (Cfu/g)	% increase
7,933,333	33,210000	319%

The results suggest that Epizym increases the beneficial, aerobic bacteria. These then have the potential to multiply quickly and offer enhanced nutrient availability to the soil and crop. The trial was performed using slurry from a commercial dairy farm, containing parlour washings and yard runoff to reflect the typical environment in which additives have to work in practice.

3) Crust Reduction

Crust weight kgs	Control With Epizym	% difference
4.6kg	3.5kg	-19.0%

These results give some support to Epizyms claim to substantially reduce the formation of the crust on a slurry storage facility. The additive ensures slurry organic matter remains in suspension rather than naturally settling in solid form at the bottom of a tank or on the surface as part of a crust. Over a period of time Epizym management would expect the slurry crust to become fully digested, indeed most of our customers go from a significant crust to very little depending on the amount of bedding material put in the tank, explains Giles Dadd – Principal Agricultural Consultant for Epizym.

Conclusion

Within 6 weeks Kingshay found that Epizym Cattle:

• significantly increased total N and ammonium N

• had a lower average crust weight

• had a three-fold increase in aerobic bacteria count

These results illustrate the potential benefits which significantly enhance the value of raw slurry.

Initial results suggest that treatment of slurry with Epizym will reduce nitrogen losses and crust formation, says Martin Yeates of Kingshay. Both of these could have significant effects on the efficiency of nutrient use on farm, as well as positive environmental consequences.

In order to validate this work further, the trial will now be replicated over an extended 12 week period, says Giles Dadd, who welcomes this extension. The higher level of total N in these results strongly suggests that the conversion to available N has further potential to fulfil. A 12 week trial period would bring results more into line with what is likely to be achieved through typical farm practice. Allowing Epizym to work throughout the whole winter period in an active slurry lagoon has the potential to produce high value results which not only facilitate good slurry handling practice but also will offer significant savings on fertiliser costs.

Kingshay will continue with this work and report the results to its farmer members, concludes Martin Yeates.

Company facts:
Epizym Ltd was established in 1997 and provides natural solutions to organic waste streams. Core products are Epizym Pigs and Epizym Cattle.  www.epizym.com

For more information on Epizym please call 0800 083 0614or visit www.epizym.com

For more information on Kingshay please call 01458 851 555 or visit www.kingshay.com