510 tonnes of separated pig manure were transferred from Huittinen to a grain farm in Sastamala. With the solid manure fraction, the crop farm received valuable phosphorus and organic matter for their fields. At the same time, nutrient runoff to the Baltic Sea was reduced.
This year’s Manure Pilot moved a total of 510 tonnes of separated pig manure from the Emomylly group to a crop farm in Sastamala. This amount of manure can be calculated to contain approximately 1,000 kg of phosphorus.
“In our HKScan Agrofood Ecosystem® work, we want to develop new methods that answer to the change and responsibility needs of the meat industry. The Manure Pilot is a tangible example of Baltic Sea protection work that promotes a sustainable circular and nutrient economy. We have received excellent feedback on the pilot from our contract manufacturers”, says Ulf Jahnsson, VP Strategic development primary production at HKScan.
Nutrients go where they should with manure separation
Manure separation is an important part of the pilot. With separation, different nutrients can be used with greater precision. Separation also reduces transportation costs, as moving liquid from one area to another is expensive.
In practice, the process creates enriched phosphorus and nitrogen fractions. Phosphorus is a nutrient retained by organic solids, whereas nitrogen is separated into the liquid. In the Manure Pilot, the liquids containing nitrogen remained on the Emomylly farms in Huittinen. Phosphorus-rich, organic separated slurry was transferred with trucks to Sastamala grain farms with a nutrient deficit.
“We compared various loading and piling techniques in the pilot, and got many great practical tips on how to move forward. For example, temporary storage of slurry solid fraction on a hard underlay seemed to work very well. At Emomylly, we focus on minimizing the environmental consequences of pork production, and continue to develop solutions for the future”, says Kai Huovinen, Managing Director at Emomylly Oy.
Manure Recycling Pilot continues next spring
“The Manure Pilot provides us with know-how on new operational models that reduce the nutrient load of the Baltic Sea. We will continue to develop the project, and work together with HKScan and Emomylly also next year”, promises Maija Salmiovirta, Project Manager at the John Nurminen Foundation.
The John Nurminen Foundation provided funds for manure transportation. The project was implemented in cooperation with Emomylly Oy and a contract farmer of the Raisio Group. Emomylly Oy is owned by seven HKScan contract farms, and it represents pig farms as a collective.
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