Contrasting the Management of Livestock Manures in Europe with the Practice in Asia

Abstract

There are similarities between livestock farming in Europe and Asia. There is close coupling of intensive agriculture with industrialization and there are environmental impacts caused by the production of very large amounts of organic wastes in limited areas. There are also differences deriving from geographical, climatic and cultural factors, which have led to particular problems in each region. In Europe, there is still a lack of appreciation of the full agronomic value of the manures produced, although most are spread in an organized way. In Asia, solid dung is more likely to be valued and sold as a product for fish farms and vegetable or fruit production. However, land on which organic waste can be spread is limited and less accessible, and river pollution is commonplace. In both regions, effective treatment options are available but, in the absence of financial support, they are rarely popular unless a financial return is implied, as in biogas schemes.