The project will create a technological process and use it to develop three high-value natural soil improvement products (potting soil; liquid manure; and inoculated duck manure pellets). Large-scale duck farming (25-27 million animals), produces at least 100-130 thousand tons of manure in Hungary alone every year. The safe handling of manure is a significant cost for livestock keepers as it has to be treated as hazardous waste and is a potential pollutant. Field placement is only possible after set-aside, only during a certain period of the year. However, the products to be developed in the project can be used safely throughout the year. The feces of ducks are rich in nutrients, which have also been proven to be safe for use during laboratory tests. The NPK (nitrogen: phosphorus: potassium) ratio important for crop production is particularly ideal (2.8: 2.3: 1.7) in duck manure. The manure elimination of pathogenic or opportunistic pathogens to retain useful and valuable nutrients so that the straw of the used litter is no longer dangerous waste.
The novelty of the project is the acceleration of the fermentation process of the duck manure, the elimination of pathogens and viruses in the duck manure with a multi-stage microbial inoculation and added substances (ground sunflower, corn stalks). During the controlled composting process, the volume and water content of the manure are reduced. At the end of the process, the most suitable beneficial bacteria and fungi remain in the products while destroying pathogens (e.g. viruses) in the manure. The project uses next-generation sequencing techniques (NGS) to pinpoint the microbial constituents of the process feedstocks and end products (soil, soil improver, etc.), with the common feature that thousands of different samples (microbial hereditary material).
The results of the project could bring immediate economic benefits to the consortium leader, as currently more than 50% of duck manure is not used due to previously reported storage and processing problems.
Identification number of the project: GINOP_PLUSZ-2.1.1-21-2022-00118
Title of the project: ” Development of high value natural soil improvers based on composting of duck manure”
Duration of the project: 2022.04.01.-2025.03.27
Total cost of the project: 400.567.323,-Ft
Founds granted: 252.588.627,-Ft
Founds granted to Astridbio Ltd: 94.757.524,-Ft
Expected completion: 2025.03.28.
