Livestock manure returns plant nutrients and organic matter to the soil, completing the nutrient cycle and creating a self-sustaining agricultural system. But these days, manure isn’t just for fertilizer.

Manure makes good fuel. A Benson, Minn., company is building a power plant that will generate 50 megawatts of renewable energy from turkey litter, beginning in 2007. The power plant will use 500,000 tons of turkey manure a year.

Methane generated from dairy manure through anaerobic digestion is being used on large Midwest livestock farms to make electricity. Methane can also be collected from municipal solid waste and food processing sludge. And at least two Minnesota cities are interested in producing biogas from manure or food waste.

ANIMAL PROCESSING REMAINS

Composted livestock makes great fertilizer and soil amendments. A St. Cloud, Minn., company makes humus, potting soil and other garden products from composted poultry processing waste and yard waste. An Alexandria, Minn., company is making phosphorus-free turf grass fertilizer from liquefied fish and distillers grains. A commercial tilapia farm in Renville, Minn., composts dead fish for fertilizer.

About 60 percent of a live animal’s weight is meat cuts. Everything else — skin, bones, fat, organs, blood, trimmings — is coproduct used by rendering companies, pet food manufacturers and the leather industry. Rendered animal fat can also be used to make biodiesel fuel. AURI has helped small meat processors market their coproducts collectively, so nothing is wasted.

Recycled yellow and white greases, beef tallow and chicken fat can be burned for boiler fuel or processed for biodiesel.

Short wool fibers trimmed from blankets are being used to make landscaping fabric for commercial strawberry growers.

Feathers, a byproduct of livestock rendering, are powdered for livestock feed.

DAIRY