This study monitored temperature using electronic sensors and developed a prediction model for compost maturity. The experiment used swine manure in a mechanical composting facility equipped with a screw-type agitator, and the composting process was conducted for 60 d during the summer season in South Korea. Four electronic temperature sensors were installed on the inner wall between the compost piles on Days 7, 14, 21, and 28 for daily temperature monitoring. Compost samples were collected daily for 60 d, and compost maturity was analyzed using the Solvita method. Multiple comparisons, correlations, and modeling were performed using the stat package in R software. The average compost pile temperatures was 39.1±3.9, 36.4±4.3, 31.3±4.5, and 35.4±8.1 on days 7, 14, 21, and 28, respectively, after composting. The average compost maturity according to the composting date was 3.61±0.60, 4.13±0.59, 4.26±0.47, and 4.32 ±0.56 on days 7, 14, 21, and 28, respectively. A significant negative correlation was observed between the compost composting periods (seven, 14, 21, and 28 d) and the temperature of all compost piles (p<0.05), where the correlation coefficients were -0.329, -0.382, -0.507, and -0.634, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between the compost composting periods (seven, 14, 21, and 28 d) and the maturity of the compost (p<0.05), where the correlation coefficients were 0.410, 0.550, 0.727, and 0.840, respectively. The model for predicting the maturation of the 14 d average compost pile according to the compost composting period and the average temperature for 14 d was y=0.026 x d – 0.021 x mt.x_14 d (mean temperature for 14 d) + 4.336 (R2=0.7612, p<0.001). This study can be considered a basic reference for predicting compost maturity by the proposed model using electronic temperature sensors.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of various roughage sources on nutrient digestibility and enteric methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) production in goats. Four castrated black goats (48.5 ± 0.6 kg) were individually housed in environmentally controlled respiration-metabolism chambers. The experiment design was a 4 × 4 balanced Latin square design with 4 roughage types and 4 periods. Alfalfa, tall fescue, rice straw, and corn silage was used as representative of legume, grass, straw, and silage, respectively. Dry matter digestibility was higher (p < 0.001) in corn silage than in alfalfa hay. Dry matter digestibility of alfalfa hay was higher than those of tall fescue or rice straw (p < 0.001). Neutral detergent fiber digestibility of tall fescue was lower (p < 0.001) than those of alfalfa, rice straw, or corn silage. Daily enteric CH4 production and the daily enteric CH4 production per kilogram of BW0.75, dry matter intake (DMI), organic matter intake (OMI), digested DMI, and digested OMI of rice straw did not differ from those of tall fescue but were higher (p < 0.001) than those of alfalfa or corn silage. Roughage type had no effect on enteric CO2 emission in goats. Straw appeared to generate more enteric CH4 production than legume or silage, but similar to grass.