Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Abstract

The research was conducted at University Livestock Farm and Fodder Research and Development Scheme, Mannuthy using portable floating drum biogas plants of 0.5 m3 capacity, to study the biogas production potential of paneer whey alone and also in co-digestion with cow dung or poultry litter during monsoon season (25.95±0.160°C). In treatment I, five kg of paneer whey was used for biogas production. In treatment II, 2.5 kg whey was used along with 2.5 kg cow dung. In treatment III 2.5 kg whey was loaded along with 2.5 kg poultry litter. In all cases, biogas plants were loaded daily for 30 days. An adaptation period of ten days was provided before measuring the biogas volume. Composition of whey was analysed using different analytical methods. The various parameters of substrates and digesta along with the total methane content of biogas were determined. Biogas production potential of whey was compared with whey-cow dung and wheypoultry litter combinations. pH value of substrates were 3.89 ± 0.066, 5.90 ± 0.054 and 6.39 ± 0.061 while corresponding pH values of digesta were 6.44 ± 0.26, 5.074 ± 0.076 and 6.22 ± 0.067 for treatment I, II and III, respectively. The whey alone substrate showed highest biogas emission (0.2905±0.0099 m3 ). Methane content of biogas were 57 per cent, 35 per cent and 15 per cent for treatment I, II and III, respectively. Suitable pretreatment of farm waste can improve methane content from co-digestion of whey.