Environmental research

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Tristhi Livestock Coopeartive Society Limited was set up on the 25th of September, 2008. The Society comprises of 25 registered members who are engaged in the rearing of dairy cows, bulls, goats, sheep and poultry. 8 members have opted to have a waste treatment facility set up on their farm. The livestock farms generate solid waste and wastewater resulting from washing of cows, byres and milking equipment. The solid waste is scraped manually from the floor of byres and carted away to be stacked in the open. The wastewater is conveyed through drains/pipes and stored in a pit. Presently there is a risk that nutrients and organic substances contained in the solid waste and wastewater find their way into ground and surface water by run-off and leaching. This may lead to serious pollution problems. The objective of this project is to set up an effective and economic system for the treatment of livestock wastes generated by the farm operation and to encourage the use of natural methods of converting wastes into stable by-products that can be utilised as fuel, fertilizer, feed and other biomass. It will also allow the farmers to benefit from biogas and make savings on bottled LPG gas whose price has greatly increased during the past months. The system will also generate bio-slurry which is rich in nutrients that form excellent fertilizer for fodder crops. This will enhance the production of good quality fodder and other crops. Finally this project will bring about a significant improvement in the environment through reduction of the surface, air and groundwater pollution problems associated with animal waste that are left to decompose under natural conditions in a residential area.

Mauritius