Ammonia volatilization losses during sprinkler irrigation of animal manure

Recent work at Clemson University has provided 32 new data sets of ammonia volatilization losses during sprinkler irrigation of liquid manure. These 32 observations were pooled with 23 additional data sets that were available in the literature. The combined data includes losses from traveling gun, center pivot, and impact sprinkler irrigation of dairy, swine, and beef manure. Manure type did not affect volatilization losses. Total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN = NH ₃-N + NH ₄ ⁺-N) concentration differences between samples collected from the irrigated wastewater and samples collected in containers placed on the ground where measured as an estimate of ammonia volatilization loss. The TAN concentrations of the ground collected samples were not statistically different from TAN concentrations of the irrigated waste. In addition, it was determined that evaporation and drift were not major factors in the quantification of TAN losses. Therefore, volatilization loss from manure during the irrigation event was not found to be significant.