Sustainability Report 2023 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 20
Planet
Sustainability Report | 20
Manure
Manure is a valuable by-product of our operations. The manure we produce is reused as a nutrient-rich
organic fertilizer for the landowners adjacent to managed sow farms. We have implemented the following
practices to help reduce odor, increase fertilizer ef昀椀ciency, and reduce our carbon footprint.
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We maintain a comprehensive nutrient management plan to ensure optimal use of our organic fertilizer
by-product.
We utilize direct injection/incorporation application to reduce odors and increase fertilizer ef昀椀ciency.
We aim to pump pits twice a year which minimizes the production of greenhouse gas emissions.
Manure from Pipestone Managed farms are applied to over 40,000 acres, replacing synthetic fertilizer.
Press Separator
Livestock Water Recycling
In a continued effort to reclaim waste and increase
spreading ef昀椀ciency, PIPESTONE inquired
regarding a manure separator for use at a managed
site in Indiana. This device would separate all the
solids from the manure pits and return nutrientrich water to an outside holding pond for later
application. A press separator such as this
would allow more waste product to be applied
on 昀椀elds farther away, for less cost than liquid
application. This has an added bene昀椀t of lowering
carbon emissions and being better stewards of
the environment around our facilities. Although
the project did not move forward at this time,
PIPESTONE is continually looking for new ways to
bring value to our shareholders and to increase the
bene昀椀ts of our environmental practices.
We have been analyzing other technologies
to maximize the value of our organic fertilizer,
while minimizing liquid nutrient loss. Livestock
Water Recycling is an innovative technology that
separates the manure in our deep pits into dry
organic fertilizer and irrigable nutrient-rich water.
PIPESTONE is developing a pilot project to assess
the costs and bene昀椀ts of implementing this system
on our managed sow farms. Some of the bene昀椀ts
of implementing this include:
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Better control of nutrient application
Reduce 昀椀eld compaction
Reduce odor
Reduce truck traf昀椀c and pumping hoses
Feed
Feeding to a precise nutrient value using
near infrared spectroscopy (NIR):
We recently increased our feed lab capabilities with an
NIR machine. This technology uses light wavelengths to
determine the nutrient values, such as crude protein and
fat, of a feed ingredient in under a minute. With this new
technology we will be able to more speci昀椀cally feed the
pigs requirement by differentiating soybean meal and
dried distillers grains by source. These two ingredients
speci昀椀cally are variable in protein, fat and other nutrients
based on which plant they are manufactured at. By
knowing precise nutrient values, we can more accurately
formulate a diet to the pigs requirements, helping to
lower excess nutrients excreted by the pig.
Updating 昀椀nishing pig lysine to energy
requirements:
As genetics continue to improve, every 3 years
we re-evaluate the lysine to calorie ratio that
maximizes margin over feed cost (a combination
of performance and feed cost). We are currently
researching the ideal lysine to calorie ratio in the
Pipestone Nutrition research barn. Preliminary data
shows that increasing the lysine to calorie ratio
above our current level improves feed ef昀椀ciency.
Ultimately, as the pig more ef昀椀ciently utilizes feed,
this will lower our carbon footprint of our 昀椀nishing
pigs.
