Effect of organic fertilizers made from slaughterhouse wastes on yield of crops

Abstract

Possible agricultural utilization of four different processed slaughterhouse waste composts and meat powder was examined in a field experiment in 2002–2008. The trial was set up with different crops on a calcareous sandy soil. The site was prone to drought. The soil was weakly supplied with N, P and K. Composts were applied once at five levels (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 t ha⁻¹ fresh compost and 0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, 20 t ha⁻¹ meat powder) in four replications. The fertilizing effect of these by-products was pronounced. Their N, P, Ca, Zn and Cu content might be many fold compared to manure. In the year of application, the 25 and 50 t ha⁻¹ doses showed only slight positive effects on yield, partly due to drought. Extreme doses (100–200 t ha⁻¹) of immature compost and semi-mature compost combined with dry weather in 2002 and 2003 (483 and 337 mm year⁻¹ precipitation) caused depressions. Residual effects of composts were pronounced in 2004 when the triticale yield increased threefold compared to control. In the following years, the residual effects decreased, so the meat powder lost its effect after 2007, but immature and semi-mature composts significantly raised the yield even in 2008.

Keywords:

• slaughterhouse waste compost
• triticale
• crop yield
• sandy soil