Agricultural - Commonly Asked Questions

1. Why should manure be managed?
Manure is a great natural resource that is wasted at an alarming rate. Mismanaged and misused, less than 20% of all manure nutrients ever find their way back to agricultural lands for crop production. One single hog will produce more than 3,000 lbs. [1362kg] of nutrient rich manure in one year. There are 200 million livestock in the United States. Multiply their manure production by the number of animals and you are looking at big dollars in fertilizer value, yet 80% goes to waste!

2. What is in manure that makes it so valuable?
Think of manure as "recycled feed". The richer in nutrients the feed is, the more valuable the manure will be. Manure contains 75 - 80% of the N, P, and K of the feed, essential organic matter, cellulose, lignin, complex carbohydrates, minor elements and micronutrients. Manure is a complete plant food and soil conditioner. It activates the breakdown of crop residue on the field. Comparisons with chemical fertilizers in terms of N, P, and K value are off base and not telling you the total picture. Chemical fertilizers lack the added benefits of manure, and must be purchased. Manure is produced right on the farm. A farms own digested manure can retain the valuable nutrients.

3. How are manure nutrients lost?
Exposure to air is the biggest reason in storage and handling. Oxidation of nutrient compounds occur every time manure is scraped, pumped, stored or distributed. Nutrient losses in excess of 40% are common even in very efficient storage and handling. Losses in excess of 80 -90% are possible from improper storage and handling. Over 1/2 manure nutrients can be lost in only 4 days if manure is scraped into a thin stack. BZT® Waste Digester is specially formulated to breakdown and retain valuable nutrients in bacterial protoplasm and organic complexes. Nitrogen fixing bacteria prefer neutral pH ranges. BZT® Waste Digester works well over a broad range of temperatures and pH.

4. How does BZT® Waste Digester "take control" of a manure system?
Manure systems are essentially huge vats of chemicals, nutrients and microorganisms in random disorder. All kinds of interactions are taking place, of which many are undesirable. Treating with BZT® Waste Digester places order, sequence and direction to the biological processes which are going on in the manure system. BZT® Waste Digester enzymes target specific substances in the manure, while the bacteria grow rapidly and regulate the environment favorable to their own needs. Regular maintenance applications of BZT® Waste Digester are extremely important to reinforce the beneficial organisms and supporting enzymes that keep the biological process going in the "right direction". BZT® Waste Digester creates an environment that is hostile to undesirable organisms who would also like to dominate the biological processes going on in the manure pit or lagoon.

5. How does BZT® Waste Digester retain more manure nutrients?
Manure nutrients are lost in storage, handling, and distribution. Even after surface broadcast, only 50% of the nitrogen is available the first year after application. Soil bacteria must convert the nitrogen (as ammonia and urea) into forms that plants can better utilize. BZT® Waste Digester is already at work in the manure storage system, digesting and converting organic matter and inorganic nutrients into simpler forms. These simple forms are not as water soluble as chemical fertilizers or raw manure, thus they don't leach or wash away easily. Nutrients are converted to forms that stay in place and are released slowly at a rate compatible with plant demand. Nutrients converted by digestion are more readily available and accessible for crop production.

6. How is Nitrogen retained by BZT® Waste Digester ?
The N in urine is soluble, while the N in manure solids is insoluble. Urine contains 2/3 of the nitrogen. Bacteria decompose urinary nitrogen (ammonia) and convert it to nitrates. Ammonia is consumed as a nitrogen food source by bacteria, then stored in insoluble forms in the bacterial protoplasm. Ammonia also breaks down insoluble nitrogen compounds in the solid portion of the manure, making more food for the bacteria to consume. Insoluble nitrogen compounds are stored in the bacteria for later use by plants. As the bacteria die, they decompose and liberate their stored nitrogen. The bacteria are sort of like miniature time released nitrogen capsules. Considering manure is over 30% bacteria by mass, that's a lot of time released capsules. P & K form organic acid complexes.

7. What about foul smells?
Smells indicate that the bacterial breakdown is still going on, and hasn't reached its final goal. Once completed, the bacteria render the manure into an inoffensive product much like composting does. Foul or putrid odors are a result of uncontrolled rotting. Controlled digestion breaks down the organic matter that generates odors, and ties up free ammonia in nitrogen compounds and bacterial protoplasm. Free ammonia smells, bound ammonia has little odor. BZT® Waste Digester bacteria and enzymes do a more thorough job of digesting organic matter and liquid nutrients in the waste, resulting in less odor generated.

8. What about the crust on my pit or lagoon?
Crust is essentially a "lid" on the pit that seals it, and excludes air. The pit is anaerobic or without air. In extreme cases, gases build up in pit pockets since they can't dissipate on the surface due to the crust. The gases produced are mostly carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrogen sulfide in anaerobic conditions. Methane and hydrogen sulfide can be extremely dangerous. Unchecked conditions can result in foul or rotting odors which are extremely offensive. BZT® Waste Digester bacteria and enzyme product is specially formulated to digest organic matter and liquefy solids. When added at the pump or through holes punched in the crust, BZT® Waste Digester goes to work digesting the crust. As the crust digests, it begins to collapse under its own weight and "wets up" in the manure slurry. With more surface area exposed to digestion, the bacteria and enzymes break down the solids in the crust to slurry form.