In conjunction with the MOSES Organic Farming Conference 2016, we wanted to share some notes and ideas for you about using microbes on the farm.
Even
when a grower or farmer already is taking a deeply holistic and organic
approach, we have found there usually are ways that supplementing with beneficial
microbes can give incremental tangible benefits and incremental profits.
We like it when we can help you be better prepared for issues
that are likely or that you expect, as well as the issues that
pop-up unexpectedly, in terms of
microbiomes getting a little out of balance. That way, you could handle
those issues with more success and ease. And we can do this by mimicking
what Mother Nature eventually would do if left to her own devices.
With this approach, we believe that you can realize reduction in
odors, better overall animal health, less animal mortality, and a higher
quality environment (soil, water and air)… all indicators of a better-balanced
local ecosystem. In the process, our intent for you is to also realize the
additional tangible benefits of less maintenance costs, increased production and vitality, less time spent on
issues and more time for beneficial tasks.
For the Animals:
Chick brooder house
Baby chicks can be highly
sensitive to improved habitat, and thrive accordingly. Ammonia odors can be
dramatically reduced, mortality rates significantly reduced, and the speed and weight of grow-out significantly improved.Before receiving the baby chicks, the archaea microbes can be
added to the litter throughout the brooder house. Or if you already have the chicks and notice ammonia odors, temporarily remove the chicks from the area for easiest application or boosting prior treatments. Because baby chicks are less
tolerant of imbalances in their environment, we know the microbes can be
exceptionally helpful in this area of operation.
Mortality rates decreased by ~50% in this side-by-side controlled experiment case study: http://akayagreen.blogspot.com/2015/12/high-ammonia-levels-poor-air-quality.html
Hens/Roosters/Turkeys overwintering
Before placing the poultry inside for the winter months, the
archaea microbes can be added to the litter to prevent ecosystem
imbalance/overload, as indicated by the subsequent odors. Microbes could
then be added as needed if odors subsequently build up. You would be looking
for a decrease in ammonia odor and the need for less frequent carbon lay downs.
Also, over time, there can be collateral benefits from the added beneficial
microbes, such as an improvement in egg production, less picking on each other,
general overall health improvement, etc.
Ducks & Geese overwintering
Since ducks and geese don’t scratch in the same way as chickens, there is
less aeration and their area gets mucky. The ‘bad’ microbes
start to win out and the odors and ammonia build up. Our microbes can be added
to regularly boost beneficial microbial activity during this time.
Pig sheds
The toilet area for the pigs can be treated directly 2-3x per
week. The microbes will significantly boost the processing of the waste and
ammonia, and a small enough amount can make a noticeable improvement in the
odors such that it can be worth it for pigs and people both. The
financial benefit is admittedly more difficult to measure here, and the cost of
the microbes vs. measurable benefits to the pigs’ health and quality of
environment would have to be determined.
Around the farm:
Wastewater Lagoons
Wastewater and effluent lagoons can be inoculated with the
microbes to boost odor elimination and break-down of organics, especially
during times/seasons of high use or in the summer when higher temperatures can
increase pathogenic microbial activity. The archaea will also take up residence
in the slime and muck within the hosing and pump equipment, helping to keep it
clear and odor-free.
Soil remediation, restoration and regeneration
Applications can vary widely here, given the variables. We are
happy to discuss with you in more detail, to see if the microbes are an
appropriate tool in your situation, and if so to tailor the dosages to the context.
Offal compost
The microbes could help prevent odors here if needed, such as
when visitors are expected on your property.
Fuel spills and drips
We recommend keeping small 6 oz shaker bottles of the microbes
on hand for diesel, gasoline and other fuel and lubricating oil drips and
spills from equipment and around pump/fill stations.
Septic tanks
Our microbe consortium thrives in the challenging and harsh
conditions of septic systems. Simply flush a cup down the toilet once every 3
or 4 months (or divide it among multiple toilets that feed to the same septic
system). Some powder may stick to the bowl, but should get carried away by the
next couple of flushes; or if you want to avoid powder sticking to the bowl,
you can mix the microbes in a jar of water before flushing them.
Kitchen drains and drain lines
The microbes love FOG (fats, oils & greases) and you can
rinse a teaspoon down the kitchen sink twice a month to colonize and help clean
out drain lines.
Water:
Water troughs in coops (or any water troughs that have similar
issues)
If green algae is forming, or a white slimy-type substance that
builds up in the watering troughs in the coops, the microbes can be added to
prevent this build-up – directly to the troughs, and/or into the gravity feed
buckets as long as the nipples aren’t clogged by the carrier in our formula.
Ponds, Lakes or Irrigation Lagoons
Cloudy water is often a sign of nutrient overload and can be a
pre-cursor of algae. Our microbe formula rebalances the excess nutrient load toward
the goal of preventing toxic algae blooms.
Streams or Rivers
Do you ever have regulatory issues from manure run-off? If so,
the microbes could be used to decrease organic content and E. coli and fecal
coliform counts in surface waters.
Our blog has a brief write-up of a pertinent case study where a zoo worked with the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
to address and remediate an E. coli and fecal coliform runoff problem easily and
cost-effectively: http://akayagreen.blogspot.com/2015/12/e.html
Summary
Basically, there are a couple of primary categories where we
have demonstrated results with our archaea-based consortium of beneficial
microbes:
a) As a preventative
to boost beneficial microbial activity during times when
imbalance is likely or predicted.
Examples:
1. in the brooder
house litter just prior to new chicks being brought in
2. applying
microbes preventively in hoop house environments at the beginning of the winter
months when the poultry and/or animals will be kept together in close quarters
3. in the wastewater
lagoon during processing when it’s receiving larger quantities of
organic influent
b) As a treatment
to boost beneficial microbial activity when issues pop-up as
a result of an unpredicted imbalance. The microbes can be applied as a
treatment to areas that develop an issue, often evidenced by odor
build-up. By using odors as a gauge for an ecosystem out of balance, the
microbes can be applied to restore balance and provide the animals with a
healthier, higher quality environment.
There are many variations of beneficial microbe products on the
market but none have the hearty, broad-spectrum, thorough, and effective
activity that Akaya’s archaea consortium has. With more
than 100 species, including aerobic, anaerobic and facultative anaerobic
species, it’s been studied (including two peer-reviewed studies), it’s
been tested, it’s been used for decades in all sorts of environments, and
it's been approved for use; it’s listed on the EPA’s
National Contingency Plan Product Schedule (NCPPS) for bioremediation
products - only 12 products have been approved for that list.
Archaea were thought to be bacteria by scientists until the late 1970's, when it was discovered that there are significant differences, and thus an entire new Third Domain was formed. Compared to bacteria, enzymes and fungi, which are the much more common bioremediation tools, the archaea are much more broad-spectrum and hardy. Archaea tolerate a wide range of temperature, pH, salinity and oxygenation.
All of Akaya’s products are safe for use around
your co-workers, flora and fauna, aquatic and on land. They are non-pathogenic,
non-GMO, and 100% naturally cultivated.
And it’s proven. We know it works.
Nature figured it out billions of
years ago. Applying this knowledge to a wide variety of industrial and
environmental settings just makes sense.
- A lifelong sailor and water lover,
Kevin Mirise lives and works on the coast in Cohasset, near Boston, MA. He’s a
Director at a bioremediation and biorestoration company that uses beneficial
microbes to naturally eliminate contaminants from water and soil. He's also a treatment-free bee steward and a micro-farmer if you count the raised beds and pastured girls.
Keys:
#MOSES2016, Water Quality, Wastewater Treatment, Livestock,
Agriculture, Equestrian, Poultry, #Riverkeeper, #Waterkeeper, #Baykeeper, #Waterquality, #Cleanwater, Waste water
