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Email PageKeywords: Manure management | surveys | interpolation | cattle | Europe
What data needs were addressed? To quantify the allocation of manure among different manure management systems.
Why was the data needed? The Finnish government does not collect data on manure management systems in a format suitable for use in the inventory. Prior to 2014, Finland’s inventory used expert judgement applied to limited data from a government survey to characterize the allocation of manure to different management systems. An improved estimate was needed.
Methods used: farm survey, interpolation
How was the data need addressed? As part of a study funded by the environment agency to identify ways to reduce ammonia emissions, a new questionnaire was made and sent to more than 11,000 farms, of which approximately 23% replied. Based on the data collected, activity data on the shares of manure management systems for 1990 to 2005 were kept the same as before (except for dairy) but from 2006 onwards the values were updated. The 2012 management system data was updated and data for years between 2006 and 2011 were interpolated. The values from 2013 onwards are based on an estimated trend between 2012 and 2020 that assumes the share of slurry will continue to increase.
It is planned in the future to improve data on the share of manure in dry lots, which are currently estimated at about 1-3% of excreted manure.
Further Resources
Grönroos J. 2014. Reduction possibilities and costs of agricultural ammonia emissions. (Written in Finnish)
Author: Andreas Wilkes, Values for development Ltd (2019)