Manure Management Panel Adapting our Dairies. Ripp s Dairy Valley

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1 Manure Management Panel Adapting our Dairies Chuck Ripp Ripp s Dairy Valley Dane, Wisconsin Ripp s Dairy Valley 990 cow dairy 100 dry cows 1,800 head of youngstock 16 full-time employees Including 6 family members 1,200 owned acres 200 rented used for nutrient management plan 1

2 Ripp s Dairy Valley Located 20 miles from the state Capitol Yahara Watershed Project: Goal is incorporate systems/regulations that allow agriculture and urban life to coexist Minimize nutrient run off mainly nitrogen and phosphorus from both agriculture and urban areas 2

3 Current Manure System Manure is scraped daily into a channel to a central pit Pumped through a 2-stage sand separator Separated manure pumped to another pit where the digester then sucks the manure to the digester 1800 feet between! Ripp s Dairy Valley Digester on top of hill Current Manure System Dane County Manure Digester Community digester Shared between 3 farms (2,500 cows total) The digester will produce methane and that methane will be used to power generators that will churn out $2 million a year in electricity, enough to allow Alliant Energy to power 2,500 homes, (WI State Journal, 2011) 3

4 Current Manure System Manure sits at digester for 28 days Liquids are returned back to the dairy daily This liquid is called centrate Centrate is mostly liquids (with minimal fibers) and is combined with used parlor water to clean sand This process recycles about half of the water on the farm! What s Working? Biodigester/Sand Separator Before digester, sand cost $1,400 per week After digester/sand separator, sand cost $320 per week We believe there is nothing better for cow comfort We can suck lagoon out without having to scoop sand and apply it to the fields 4

5 Other Benefits Manure that is spread on fields has reduced odor This is HUGE because it is hauled close to 3 different surrounding villages This process removes about 50-55% of the phosphorous Has the potential to remove 60-65% P when the centrifuge is running correctly Challenges Sand separator not working correctly Mechanical challenges Pumps/Moving parts Temperature effects In summer, manure because more watery and the pump tends to grab more sand Someone on call 24/7 Biodigester not working, then can t pump manure Plugged lines 5

6 Advantages Methane pulled off so manure is not as odorous Pulling phosphorus out-now can apply more manure based on NMP Love sand bedding for cows Environmentally friendly Yahara Watershed Looking to the Future Everyone needs a NMP and need to follow it Plan your work and work your plan Precision ag technologies Cost justified? Cover crops Focus on areas where cover crop can hold back run off Early Fall- Get manure on and plant cover crop Think outside of the box with cover crops and rotations We cannot expand cow numbers without knowing where our manure is going to go 6

7 Final Thoughts Farming is a business Be proactive and environmentally correct! Be open to evaluate new technologies People are watching you Transparency & Honesty! Appearance is everything Manure is always yours take responsibility for it! Thank You 7

8 Manure Management Panel Adapting Our Dairies Malachy Coyne Coyne Farms Avon, New York 1

9 Coyne Farms Family business started in full-time employees, including 8 family members 1,000 milking cows 2,000 acres Active in marketing registered Holstein genetics Coyne Farms Very active in community Transparency, honesty and perception is huge Farm is very visible along busy highway and located close to town 2

10 The WORM POWER Story Large-scale Vermicomposting Was approached by an entrepreneur Business proposal was highly scrutinized Not afraid to let someone else take the risk and reap the financial rewards Very little risk on our part Allowed us to make some money and dispose of our manure solids Feedstock Preparation Very few materials instantly ready for large-scale vermicomposting Manure separators Ver 1.0 & 3.3 3

11 Compost Preparation All materials stored under cover and on concrete Materials are mixed with large agricultural equipment to a specific recipe (17 ton/batch) 8 loads of manure solids to 1 load of waste silage 4

12 The WORM POWER Story Large-scale Vermicomposting Bottom line: This system works Allows us to make some money and dispose of our manure solids It is not the long-term manure management-sustainability solution Coyne Farms Like to be innovators and listen to new ideas Potential ideas are highly scrutinized Is it the right fit? Is there a reasonable return on investment? Is it the right thing to do? Milk co-op formed 11 farms Similar values & management Traceability important moving forward Big investment Right fit Right thing to do 5

13 Addressing Challenges Urban pressures Heavily traveled roads Odor control Image & public perception 6

14 Currently Drag line system is working Incorporating precision ag technologies This has a huge upside and will allow our manure management program to get better We have 2,000 acres and 1,000 milk cows, which is a workable ratio 7

15 Looking to the Future Continued adaptation of precision farming technologies: Starts at the corn planter Grid mapping fields Topographic maps GPS technology tools Variable rate manure application Green Seeker technology Real-time yield monitors Accuracy & efficiency Looking to the Future Develop value-added relationships with row crop farmers: This needs to happen Evaluating manure digesters 8

16 Looking to the future Keep an open mind with these goals: Meticulous nutrient management plan Being as precise as you can, even if land acres exceed cow pressures! Good stewardship Plan your work and work your plan Minimize odors Transparency & honesty Harry S. Truman once said: A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties 9