O Manure management and herd productivity They are much more interconnected than many producers realize. Those seeking to increase farm yields typically invest in genetics, nutrition, and animal health, but rarely consider the impact that waste management has on animal health and production performance.
The relationship between manure management and herd productivity is real, measurable, and still underestimated. Poorly managed manure generates ammonia in the air, contaminates the bedding, increases the pathogen load in the environment, and creates conditions that compromise animal development, all without the producer realizing this connection.
In this article, we explain how improper manure management affects the herd, what indicators show that the problem is already present, and what to do to correct it.
How manure management influences herd productivity.
All animals produce waste. In intensive pig and cattle farming systems, the volume generated is significant and needs to be removed, stored, and treated efficiently to avoid compromising the environment of the facilities.
When management is not done correctly, the waste accumulated inside or near the facilities becomes a source of three main problems: toxic gases, microbiological contamination, and increased humidity. Each of these has a direct impact on the health and performance of the animals.
The impact of ammonia on productivity
Ammonia (NH₃) is the most critical gas generated by the decomposition of waste. It is produced by the degradation of nitrogen present in animal urine and feces and accumulates rapidly in facilities with insufficient ventilation or inadequate management.
Even at low concentrations, ammonia causes progressive damage to the respiratory system of animals. In pigs and cattle chronically exposed to environments with high concentrations of ammonia, the effects include:
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Irritation of the respiratory mucous membranes: increases susceptibility to pneumonia and other respiratory diseases — one of the main causes of mortality and culling in pig farming.
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Reduced feed consumption: animals in environments with strong odors tend to consume less — a direct impact on feed conversion and weight gain.
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Decreased milk production: In dairy cows, stress caused by ammonia in the environment reduces production and can alter the composition of the milk.
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Compromised immune system: animals chronically exposed to ammonia have a reduced immune response, requiring more antibiotics and increasing health costs.
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Lower daily weight gain: the combination of these factors results in animals that grow more slowly and reach slaughter weight with performance below their genetic potential.
The critical ammonia level for swine is 25 ppm (parts per million). In facilities with inadequate manure management, this level is frequently exceeded—often without the producer realizing it, because gradual adaptation to the odor creates a false sense of normalcy.
Contaminated bedding and its effect on cattle herds
In cattle farming, especially in confined and semi-confined systems, bedding quality is one of the factors that most impacts animal welfare and productivity.
Wet and poorly managed bedding creates a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, and agents that cause mastitis in dairy cattle. The practical effects are:
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Increased incidence of mastitis: Mastitis is the disease that most affects productivity in dairy herds — and contaminated bedding is one of its main vectors.
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Foot problems: damp and contaminated bedding promotes the development of digital dermatitis and other hoof conditions, which cause lameness and reduced feed intake.
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Increased use of antibiotics: the rise in diseases associated with contaminated environments increases the cost of medication and can compromise product traceability for more demanding markets.
The solids separator plays an important role here; the solids separated from the bovine manure, after proper composting, can be used as drier, cleaner bedding with a lower pathogen load than conventional materials such as sawdust or wood shavings.
Cross-contamination and pathogen pressure
Waste accumulated near facilities, in poorly managed lagoons, open pits, or areas of inadequate disposal, increases the pressure of pathogens in the surrounding area.
Flies, rodents, and other vectors use animal waste as a source of food and reproduction. They carry microorganisms into the facilities and contaminate feed, water, and surfaces, increasing the incidence of enteric and respiratory diseases in the herd.
Proper waste management, regular removal, adequate storage, and efficient treatment directly reduce this pathogen pressure and the associated sanitation costs.
Moisture in the facilities
Accumulated waste contributes to increased humidity inside facilities. Humid environments favor the proliferation of fungi, bacteria, and viruses, compromising air quality systemically.
In swine, high humidity combined with ammonia in the air is one of the most harmful combinations to the respiratory system and one of the most common on farms with poor manure management.
Regular removal of waste from the premises and proper storage outside of them are the most effective ways to control indoor humidity.
What does proper management change in practice?
Farms that invest in proper manure management, with appropriately sized storage facilities, efficient agitation, and regular removal, see concrete differences in herd performance.
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Lower incidence of respiratory and enteric diseases.
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Improved feed conversion and daily weight gain.
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Reduction in the cost of antibiotics and sanitation treatments.
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Lower mortality and waste rates.
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In dairy cattle, this results in higher milk production and quality.
These gains are rarely attributed to manure management—because the relationship isn't immediate and visible. But it exists, and the numbers become apparent when management improves.
Where to begin?
Improving waste management doesn't need to be done all at once. The areas that most impact the environmental quality of the facilities are:
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Regular removal of waste from the facilities: cleaning frequency compatible with the volume generated and the farming system.
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Proper storage: a suitable pond or structure, located away from the facilities and with sufficient capacity for the volume generated.
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Regular agitation of the lagoon: homogenization of the stored material to prevent crusting, sediment, and excessive gas generation in the surrounding area.
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Solids separation: reduces the organic load in the lagoon and generates material for animal bedding — especially relevant for dairy cattle farming.
Each of these points, individually, already contributes to improving the environment of the facilities. Together, they form a management system that protects the herd and the farm's profitability.
Manure management is herd management.
The producer who takes good care of animal waste is, in practice, taking care of the environment where the herd lives, and of the results that the herd will deliver.
Genetics, nutrition, and health are undeniable pillars of productivity. But the environment where the animal spends 24 hours a day defines how much it can express the potential that these pillars offer.
Well-managed waste means a healthier animal. And a healthier animal means more consistent results.
Do you want to improve waste management on your property?
AGTO manufactures tractor-driven and electric agitators for manure lagoons, agitators for biodigesters, and the SSA520 solids separator — equipment developed for the realities of Brazilian rural producers.
Our technical team analyzes your system and recommends the right solution.
Get in touch and speak with an AGTO specialist.
