Good Management Practices

Environmental Issues Good management practices: prevent waste of feed (better troughs, not ad libitum feeding); reduced quantities of water for cleaning and less wastage of water for drinking; prevent leakage of manure by repairing and lining manure pits and channels. Objectives The development of routine procedures to prevent emissions to the environment and waste production through improved management and care. | Environmental Issues Objective Technique Costs Targeted Livestock System Impact Context of Application References

Techniques

Prevention of feed waste, feed waste will come in the manure and add to the total quantity of waste to be disposed off:

- Feed waste could be prevented by installing properly designed and constructed troughs to reduce spillage of feed as much as possible.

In pig production: provide quantities of feed according to the requirements in portions 2 to 3 times per day and do not practice ad libitum feeding. Ad libitum feeding results in high wastage of feed and low feed conversion rates. Ad libitum feeding is common practice in poultry production, special designed feeders that prevent the chickens (broilers and layers) to shake the heads during eating prevents spillage of feed. Do not practice creep feeding, this leads to a very high wastage and low feed conversion rates. | Creep feeding of pigs results in high wastage and contamination.

Wastage of feed from feeding troughs leads to unfavourable feed conversion rates and greater manure / waste than necessary | Prevention of too much water entering the manure storage: Prevent the spillage of water from the drinking bowls and the drinking nipples. Do not clean daily the manure from animal housing by using the waterhose. Prevent rain water from entering into the manure drainage system. Install a separate drainage system for the discharge of clean water (e.g. spilled drinking water, rainwater), this water could probably be recycled and used for cleaning and irrigation.

Prevention of leakage or overflow from the manure storage

- construct a well designed and strong drainage system from which manure cannot leak to the environment.
- construct a well designed and strong manure storage from which the manure cannot leak to the environment.
- ensure that manure storage is large enough for the quantity of manure produced on the farm.
- ensure that the manure storage is emptied in time to prevent overflowing of manure to the land and surface water.

Costs

Cost of Good Management Practices are generally low, the implementation requires attention, good routine procedures, knowledge of the production process and qualified personnel.

Targeted Livestock System

Good Management Practices could be developed for each production system. The practices described here are mainly aimed at the industrial production system.

Impact

- Positive Environmental Impact

- Improved feed conversion.
- Reduced use of fresh water.
- Reduced waste production.
- Reduced emissions to the environment.

- Negative Environmental Impact

- Reduced negative impacts will result from good management practices, if they are designed to consider environmental implications of management actions.

- Livestock Productivity Impact

- Good management practices lead generally to a cleaner and healthier environment where the efficiency of animal production can be improved.

Context of Application

- Institution: Formulation of Good Management Practices.
- Research into the development of GMP.
- Education: Training and extension for the development and transfer of GMP.
- Socio-economic: the recruitment of trained and qualified personnel.

References

Examples of good management practices may be found at:

Best Management Practices for Livestock Operations http://www.whatcomcd.org/farmpractice/bmp/liveops.htm

Best Management Practice http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~epados/farmstead/yards/src/bmp.htm

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