This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License . Your use of this material constitutes acceptance of that license and the conditions of use of materials on this site.
Copyright 2010, The Johns Hopkins University, Jay Graham and Kellogg J. Schwab. All rights reserved. Use of these materials permitted only in accordance with license rights granted. Materials provided “AS IS”; no representations or warranties provided. User assumes all responsibility for use, and all liability related thereto, and must independently review all materials for accuracy and efficacy. May contain materials owned by others. User is responsible for obtaining permissions for use from third parties as needed.

Jay P. Graham, PhD, MBA
Johns Hopkins University

Feed Additives





Roxarsone (arsenic)
Mainly used as an antimicrobial and growth promoter in chickens and hogs
Approximately 2 million pounds of arsenic are emitted into the environment from U.S. poultry operations (Garbarino, 2003)
Hormones
Antigens, estrogens, progesterones
95 percent of feedlot cattle receive hormones for growth production
Antibiotics (see next slide)
Other animal waste products
Poultry litter is commonly used as feedstuff in cattle
Recommended resource: Sapkota et al. (2007). What do we feed to food-production animals? A review of animal feed ingredients and their potential impacts on human health. Environ Health Perspect, 115, 5,
663–670. (see course reading list)
3

Antibiotics in Animal Feed

Antibiotics
An estimated 25 million pounds of antibiotics are used in U.S. food animal production (Mellon et al., 2001)
Possibly speeds growth, reduces feed requirements, and reduces mortality
About 75 percent of antibiotics are excreted in waste
(Kummerer, 2004)
4

Antimicrobials Approved for Food-Animal Production












Aminoglycosides (streptomycin, neomycin, gentamycin)
Aminocyclitols (spectinomycin)
Β -Lactams (penicillins*)
Decapeptides (bacitracin)
Lincosamides (lincomycin)
Macrolides (erythromycin*, tylosin)
Tetracyclines (chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline*)
Streptogramins (virginiamycin [Quinupristin-Dalfopristin*])
Flavophospholipol (bambermycin, flavomycin)
Novobiocin
Oleandomycin
Arsenicals (roxarsone, arsanilic acid)
*Note that many classes used to raise animals are also used in clinical medicine
5

Animal Waste

Quantity
Number of animals, feed conversion efficiency, and handling method

Quality
Feed inputs, crowded conditions, and waste treatment

Distribution
How and where it’s applied
6

Untreated Animal Waste Applications to Farm Land
7

Animal Wastes vs. Human Biosolids
Animal waste Human biosolids
335 million dry tons 7.6 million dry tons Produced
Applied to land >300 million dry tons 5.0 million dry tons
8

Human Biosolids and Food-Animal Wastes
Number per gram dry weight
Humans Animals
Bacteria
Fecal coliforms 10 7 –10 8
Fecal streptococci
Salmonella spp.
E. coli 0157:H7
Protozoa
Giardia sp.
10 6 –10 7
10 2 –10 3
N/A
10 2 –10 3
3.3 x 10 6 (swine)
1.3 x 10 6 (poultry)
2.3 x 10 5 (cattle)
8.4 x 10 7 (swine)
3.4 x 10 6 (poultry)
1.3 x 10 6 (cattle)
10 4 –10 7 (cattle)
9.6 x 10 3 (swine)
10 1 –10 7 (poultry)
10 2 –10 6 (cattle)
6.9 x 10 4 (swine)
2.2 x 10 2 (cattle)
5.3 x 10 4 (swine)
9

Too Little Land per Animal
Number of animal units
Very small
<50
Avg. acres per animal unit*
14.91
Small
50–299
3.50
Medium
300–1,000
1.20
CAFOs
>1,000
0.18
*One animal unit equals approximately 1,000 pounds live weight
Total
0.35
10

Protection of Watersheds from Manure Nutrients
Lowest ranked priority watersheds
Medium ranked priority watersheds
Highest ranked priority watersheds
11

Liquid Waste Disposal: Swine
Swine waste pit (“lagoon”)
12

Benefits of Dry Manure Handling System

Reduces amount of material to be treated

Limits runoff into surface and groundwater

Helps sanitize waste before reuse, e.g., composting

Reduces odor-generating compounds

Reduces fly breeding
13

Serious Manure Spills in Iowa, 1992–1999
14

Summary of Current Problems with Animal Waste

More animals are being raised and therefore more waste is produced

Animals produced in concentrated geographic locations

Land application of waste is also more concentrated; more animals per acre

Waste is not treated

Adding water augments these problem
Efficient for the producer
Problematic for the community
15