Technologies implemented for the management of organic waste in intensive dairy farms exploitation in the “Chiriquí” Province

Abstract

Organic waste management is a necessary component in milk production systems; because the accumulation of manure pollutes the environment; However, the technologies for the management of organic waste allow farmers to obtain an added value, through the production of organic fertilizers and / or energy. The present work was carried out with 22 intensive milk producers located in the Province of Chiriquí; with the purpose of recognizing and describing the technologies used for the management of organic waste. The study showed that 60% of the surveyed producers do not have a single wastewater collection point in the milking shed, evidencing the need to adapt the infrastructures; with an average of 121.3 m2 of concrete floor, with 32 cows / galley and an average of 3.7 cows m2. The time that the cows took to milking was 3.6 hours / day. Noting that the amount of manure depends on the number of cows and time of milking or of stay in the galley; being an average of 2.5 pounds of manure / cow / hour. The milking stall washing time was 1.05 hours, which represented an expenditure of 634 liters / stall / day and 19 liters / cow / day. The technologies used for wastewater management were: manholl, solids separator, and biodigester; and the technologies used for the management of organic waste are: manure storage tanks for the production of bokashi and vermicompost.