Microbiological aspects of slurry management

The animal manure may be a source of many pathogenic microorganisms, including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica or Campylobacter spp. The agricultural utilization of slurry poses a serious threat related to the transfer of pathogens to the environment. Some of the bacterial strains are antibiotic-resistant and their resistance genes can be transferred horizontally to the soil microflora. In order to avoid the pathogens' transmission into the environment, different methods of slurry disinfection are necessary. Biological treatment seems to be the most common technique of slurry hygienization. Storage, anaerobic digestion, aeration or composting may result in effective reduction of pathogen level and guarantee biosafety of slurry application as soil fertilizer. Physical and chemical methods are not commonly used due to their reduced effectiveness in slurry decontamination and relatively high costs. 1. Introduction. 2. Microflora of slurry 3. The possibility of microbial contamination of the environment. 4. The problem of antibiotic resistance of strains from animal production. 5. Methods of slurry hygienization for agricultural purposes. 6. Summary