Composition and properties of animal excrements

Excrements in the form of urine and faeces are unavoidable components of animal husbandry. In the past the sources of this type of pollution were dispersed and did not seriously threaten the quality of surface or groundwaters. 

The daily production of excrements (faeces and urine) in the breeding of black cattle and pigs, per 1000 kg of live weight, is presented in Table 3.60. 

It has been reported in the literature that pollution from 1 pig equals pollution from 3.8 humans, and that from 1 black cattle corresponds to 32.5 humans, from a calf it corresponds to 4.2 humans [52, 53]. 

By chemical analysis of excrements, specific constituents are determined. Primarily nitrogen and mineral substances are determined, which are important from the viewpoint of metabolism and nutrition of livestock, as well as from the viewpoint of the content of nutrients important for the use of excrements as fertilizer. 

A survey of three groups of substances present in excrements are shown in Table 3.61. 

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