Manure (and Mud) Management

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Jeffrey Walton
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1 Manure (and Mud) Management Living n Jenifer Cruickshank Dairy Management Willamette Valley 22 May 2018 the Land 1

2 We ll be covering Living n Impacts of mud and manure Managing mud Managing manure, storage Composting basics the Land 2

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4 October-April (most years): MUD Break-down of vegetation Build-up of manure Decomposed organic material Soil Compaction High traffic areas 4

5 Cost of Mud: Animal The effect of rain, wind, and mud on feedlot cattle performance 5

6 Cost of Mud: Environment Sediment Bacteria Flowing to surface water 6

7 Impacts from manure Polluted runoff Living n Odor Dust Insects and parasites UNCE, Reno, Nev. the Land 7

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9 (Small) CAFOs require a permit from the state Note, there is no minimum number of animals. If you are discharging to surface water, your neighbor can report you. NaturalResources/Pages/CAFO.aspx 9

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11 #1 Establish a Sacrifice Area Alayne Blickle, Horses for Clean Water 11

12 Choose a smart location High ground away from water and wells Avoid septic system and drain field Rocky, hillside area, low productivity Level to slightly sloped area for drainage Consider depth to ground water Convenient location close to barn Maintenance and cleaning Can over seed annual ryegrass in spring 12

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15 #2 Use a Footing Material Site is prepared for heavy use Scrape away accumulated manure, mud and organic material If possible, gently slope the ground, 1-2% away from barn 15

16 Popular Footing Options: Hog fuel Gravel Sand General rule of thumb Min. of 2:1 ratio of footing to mud 16

17 Hog Fuel Wood chips, shredded bark Reduces urine odors Provides a cushioned surface Packs down and decomposes Not all hog fuel is the same! 6 minimum, 12 for longevity Add new layer every year or two 17

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21 Rock 3/8-inch minus to 5/8-inch minus crushed gravel or round rock 6 to 8 inches for longevity Lasts many years if managed correctly Larger gravel may be used for a base (2 quarry run) with smaller on top. Crushed gravel must be compacted 21

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25 Where d the gravel go? 25

26 Geotextile fabrics can help. Synthetic material, filter fabric, road fabric Small holes so that water can pass through, but not soil particles Soil stability and load distribution Provides separation Prevents the base material from mixing with the footing material More details: Select Construction Shadysprings Farm 26

27 Adding fabric and gravel 27

28 Sand Shadysprings Farm Use coarse sand (fill sand) 4 inches deep Add more when needed 28

29 Urban Cattle, Horses for Clean Water 29

30 #3 Use Footing in High Traffic Areas Area around water troughs gates barn 30

31 Animal Walkways Minimize Compacted soil (elsewhere) in summer Mud in the winter 31

32 Portable Feeding Area Reduce mud and manure accumulating in any one place Place feeding area away from water resources 32

33 #4 Rain Gutters and Downspouts Install gutters and downspouts on roofs that contribute to the mud problem. Be sure to direct the downspouts away from sacrifice areas. Protect the downspouts from damage. 33

34 Keep Clean Water Clean Divert water drainage away from your barn, sacrifice areas, and manure storage. Use berms to create a physical barrier Water bars (speed bumps) Drain tiles Divert only clean water. Waste water diversion requires a permit 34

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38 #5 Use Vegetation as a Run-off Manager 38

39 Good practices Healthy grassy areas Down slope from heavy use areas Pasture, lawn, or landscape Native plants (willows, red-osier dogwood) Shadysprings Farm 39

40 Vegetative strips capture run-off. 40

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42 Animal How much manure will your animals produce? Volume (cu ft/day) Weight (lbs/day) Moisture (percent) Beef Ducks Goats Horse Sheep Amounts produced per 1,000 pounds of each type of animal 42

43 Effective management depends on: Collection Living n Storage Application/ Removal the Land 43

directly recycled May require occasional dragging of pasture to

44 Pasture collection Living n Requires the least amount of effort Natural weathering reduces volume by up to 60 % Nutrients are directly recycled May require occasional dragging of pasture to break up and distribute the manure the Land 44

45 Paddock collection 45

46 Living n Cage collection Small animals like rabbits, other fur animals, or birds Manure drops through the cage and is removed Waste may include bedding material such as straw or wood shavings the Land 46

Collection from bedded stall or barn Living n http://homesteadhillfarm.blogspot.

47 Collection from bedded stall or barn Living n Horses, cattle, swine, and poultry Manure and soiled bedding are removed by manual cleaning the Land 47

48 Manure storage Not just behind the barn! Find a safer place Area away from water Compacted gravel area Concrete pad Covered storage facility Consider slope (Liquids run downhill.) Have buffer strips of vegetation or berms 48

49 Cover Manure Pile Cover pile during the rainy season Prevents nitrate-nitrogen from leaching to drinking/groundwater. Prevents bacteria from contaminating water 49

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53 Manure can be a resource Living n Livestock remove nutrients from land while grazing Returning manure to soil promotes soil fertility and plant growth Important nutrients Nitrogen (N) Potassium (K or K 2 O) Phosphorus (P 2 O 5 ) USDA NRCS the Land 53

54 Uncomposted animal manures from NW533 54

55 (sidebar) This is manure separation on a large dairy. 55

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57 Composting Living n Reduces volume Kills parasites Reduces weed seeds Reduces odor Provides slowrelease fertilizer Improves handling qualities the Land 57

58 AFTER-- Living n the Land 58

59 Oxygen Moisture Composting requirements Living n Correct carbonto-nitrogen ratio (30:1) Temperature (120 to 160 F) the Land 59

60 Tips for Composting The more the pile is turned, the quicker it will compost (4 to 10 weeks) Could install perforated pipe in the middle of the pile to increase airflow Moisture content is important Ideally 50 to 60% Should feel like a wrung-out sponge Too wet or too dry microbes may die 60

61 Examples of forced air aeration, passive aeration 61

62 Examples of mechanical aeration Mark King Todd Adams via 62 YouTube

63 What do I do with the manure? Living n Apply it to your property see PNW533 Fertilizing with Manure and Other Organic Amendments Arrange with gardeners, landscapers, or farmers to remove it Often prefer composted manure Haul it yourself Most expensive the Land 63

64 Application considerations Living n Test soil (for N, P, K, etc.) Maintain a minimum distance of 100 feet from water sources on flat ground; greater distances needed for sloping ground Keep away from natural drainages Incorporate as soon as possible Apply when plants can use it unsaturated soils growing weather the Land 64

65 Good manure management Living n Keeps livestock healthy Protects the environment Returns nutrients to the soil USDA NRCS Millcreek Manufacturing the Land 65

66 Content Acknowledgements Living n Wendy Williams, NRCS, Bozeman, Montana Holly George, University of California Extension Service Susie Kocher, University of California Extension Service Bob Hamblen, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Bruce Miller, Utah State University Melody Hefner, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Melissa Fery, Oregon State University Extension Service, Small Farms the Land 66

67 Questions?

We ll be covering: Negative impacts domestic. We ll focus mostly on impacts from manure and how these. minimized.

We ll be covering: Negative impacts domestic. We ll focus mostly on impacts from manure and how these. minimized. Managing Manure from Domestic Animals to Avoid Negative Impacts Developed by: Holly George, University of California Cooperative Extension Susan Kocher, University of California Cooperative Extension Bruce