Silage Effluent in Danish Streams: Spatial Risk Screening and Institutional Barriers to Prevention
Author
Biletska, Ievgeniia
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-06-04
Pages
52
Abstract
Silage effluent is a highly polluting by‑product from cattle farming yet receives relatively little systematic attention in monitoring and inspections. This thesis examines whether potential silage effluent runoff from cattle farms represents a broader environmental problem in Danish streams, and how GIS‑based spatial analysis, DVFI data, and practitioner insights can be combined to assess it. Covering 17 municipalities in northern and central Jutland, the study integrates QGIS proximity screening, hydrological connectivity analysis in SCALGO, and ecological DVFI data with interviews of municipal practitioners and subject‑matter experts. Among 1,594 cattle farms within 2 km of a DVFI station, 125 potential farm–station connections were identified; 58.4% of these were associated with below‑good DVFI status compared with 36.9% in the regional background—a difference of 21.5 percentage points. Interviews indicate persistence driven by gaps between formal rules and everyday practice, including limited farmer awareness of silage effluent’s harm, inconsistent enforcement, and a reactive inspection culture, with only a small share of cases leading to formal consequences. Practitioners point to improvements such as clearer communication via trusted channels, more targeted and seasonally timed inspections supported by tools like SCALGO, and more consistent enforcement. Overall, the findings suggest silage effluent runoff is likely a wider environmental issue than current practices reveal, and that the screening approach can support more targeted investigations and inspections with potential to improve stream ecological status.
Ensilagesaft er et stærkt forurenende biprodukt fra kvægbrug, men får relativt lidt systematisk opmærksomhed i kontrol og overvågning. Denne afhandling undersøger, om potentiel afstrømning af ensilagesaft fra kvægbrug udgør et bredere miljøproblem i danske vandløb, og hvordan GIS-baseret rumlig analyse, DVFI-data og faglige indsigter kan kombineres til at vurdere dette. Studiet dækker 17 kommuner i Nord- og Midtjylland og kombinerer QGIS-nærhedsscreening, hydrologisk konnektivitetsanalyse i SCALGO samt økologiske DVFI-data med interviews af kommunale praktikere og fageksperter. Ud af 1.594 kvægbrug inden for 2 km af en DVFI-station blev 125 potentielle forbindelser mellem ensilageopbevaring og nedstrøms målestationer identificeret; 58,4% af disse var forbundet med DVFI under god tilstand mod 36,9% i det regionale baggrundssæt – en forskel på 21,5 procentpoint. Interviewene peger på et vedvarende problem drevet af et gab mellem formelle regler og praksis, herunder begrænset landmandsviden om ensilagesaftens skadevirkninger, uensartet håndhævelse og en reaktiv tilsynskultur, hvor kun en mindre del af sagerne fører til formelle konsekvenser. Praktikere fremhæver bedre kommunikation via troværdige kanaler, mere målrettede og sæsonmæssigt timede tilsyn understøttet af værktøjer som SCALGO samt mere konsekvent håndhævelse som mulige forbedringer. Samlet set tyder resultaterne på, at ensilagesaft-afstrømning sandsynligvis er et bredere miljøproblem i danske vandløb end det, der fremgår af nuværende praksis, og at den anvendte screeningsmetode kan støtte en mere målrettet prioritering af feltindsatser og inspektioner med potentiale for at forbedre vandløbenes økologiske tilstand.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]