Anaerobic co-digestion of pig slurry and maize silage in South Bohemia: Energy yields and nutrient cycling

This study evaluates anaerobic co-digestion of pig slurry and maize silage as practiced by farm-scale plants in South Bohemia, Czech Republic, focusing on energy performance and nutrient cycling. Using open operational records, laboratory certificates, and reproducible calculations, we compare mono-digestion of pig slurry against two co-digestion regimes with increasing maize silage shares. Outcomes include specific methane yield, methane concentration in biogas, net electrical energy from combined heat and power per unit of fresh feed, and nutrient concentrations in the digestate as delivered to fields. A matched before-after panel (2019-2024) and a composite co-digestion suitability index support comparability across sites. Co-digestion raised methane yield and methane concentration, increasing net electricity while concentrating plant-available nitrogen and stabilizing phosphorus delivery. The results demonstrate that carefully proportioned co-digestion can align energy recovery with circular nutrient management for mixed crop-livestock systems in temperate Europe, while maintaining agronomic quality of the digestate.

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