What Now? How to Manage Your Manure Mike McMillin Benton SWCD
Manure Storage Area Areas where animal manure is stored or processed Manure Pit Stockpile Short-Term Less than 1 year Long-Term Greater than 1 year Manure Contaminated Runoff Surface Water Groundwater
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Stockpiling Requirements
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Stockpiling Requirements Other Requirements Coarse Textured Soils Coarse soils down to 5 are coarser than a sandy loam High Water Table Soils 2 separation must be maintained between the base of the stockpile and the seasonal high water table or saturated soils What does this mean?
Stockpiling Restrictions in Sherburne County
Stockpiling Restrictions in Benton County
What to do with the Manure? Spread as Needed Other state requirements that have to be followed depending on the time of year and location Install Storage Stacking Slab Compost Facility
Composting Managed, accelerated decomposition of material by microbes (bacteria, fungus, molds) Provide the optimum environment that encourages manure decomposition quickly and efficiently
Composting will Reduces flies by eliminating their breeding ground and killing larvae Reduce odors a manure pile that is composting will smell warm and earthy Kill worm eggs, pathogens (bacteria, fungi, virus, protozoa) that can cause diseases and weed seeds Reduce the amount of manure by 50% Stabilizes nutrients so they are not lost as easily Provide you with a valuable soil amendment to use, sell or give away
What You Need to Compost Suitable Location Meets stockpiling requirements Soils most likely going to need to be on a concrete pad Setback requirements surface water, wells, tile intakes High ground keep clean water out of the pile Buffer area down slope Near manure and water source Materials/Equipment Walls Concrete, pallets, 2x6 s, chicken wire Roof/Tarp Tractor with loader, skid loader, shovel & wheelbarrow PVC, tile Thermometer
What You Need to Compost Nitrogen Manure, grass clippings, nitrogen fertilizer, kitchen waste, garden waste, and weeds
What You Need to Compost Carbon Dry leaves, wood chips, straw, bedding, wood shavings, corn cobs
What You Need to Compost Oxygen 2/3 of the pile needs to be air space Not enough air space, the pile will become stagnant Too much air, the pile will get too hot Water microbes grow best with moisture around 50% Ideally, it will feel like a wrung out sponge, damp, but not dripping Too much water, means a soggy pile with a bad odor Not enough water, it will not compost
Types of Composters
How to Compost 1. Base Layer- Bulking material 2. Rotate Layers- Manure/bedding and bulking materials 3. Cover with Wood Chips- Can help control odor 4. Monitor Temperature- If the pile is not heating up, you may need to adjust the mix 5. Once the temperature starts to drop, it is time to mix the pile 1. Try to move the edges into the middle, so they can cook 6. Monitor Temperature Again- Once it starts cool, the compost may be done or need to be turned again 7. Repeat as needed
Things to Watch for Temperature Need to maintain temps between 130 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 weeks to kill off seeds and pathogens Too cool won t compost Too hot kill off beneficial bugs and bacteria Moisture Content Too wet or too dry will not compost May need to add water when turning if the pile is too dry May need to add bulking material if the pile is too wet Saw Dust Coarse sawdust vs. fine sawdust May not compost completely during the winter
Troubleshooting Composting
Advantages and Disadvantages of Composting Advantages Reduce volume Kill weeds and pathogens Easier byproduct to get rid of Stabilizes nutrients Sight/smell Disadvantages Upfront costs Time/management Stabilizes nutrients
Manure Production Horse 50 lbs. day = 9 10 tons per year Beef Cow 90 lbs. day = 17 18 tons per year Steer 50 lbs. day = 9 10 tons per year Sheep 5 lbs. day = 1 ton per year Goat 5 lbs. day = 1 ton per year Turkey 1 lb. day = 365 lbs. per year Chicken (Layer) 1.5 lbs. day = 550 lbs. year Chicken (Meat) -.5 lbs. day = 200 lbs. per year
Nutrient Production Horses Manure Content 14 5-14 Nitrogen Phosphorus Potash per ton 10 tons of manure per year = 140 50 140 lbs./year Beef Cow = 7 4 7 per ton x 18 tons = 126-72-126 lbs./year Steer = 11-7-11 per ton x 10 tons = 110-70-110 lbs./year Sheep = 18-11-18 per ton x 1 ton = 18-11-18 lbs./year Chicken = 46-53-36 per tons x.027 ton = 1.3-1.5-1 lbs./year
Nutrient Management Over-Grazed Pasture.5 1 ton per year Moderately Grazed Pasture 2 3 tons per year
Nutrient Management Rotationally Grazed Pasture 4-6 tons per year Average Nutrient Removal Rates for Pasture Yields N Removed P Removed K Removed 1 t/ac 34 12 50 3 t/ac 102 36 150 5 t/ac 170 70 250 Garden/ac 100-180 75 150
Nutrient Management
Questions? Mike McMillin Benton SWCD 320-968-5300 ext 3. Michael.mcmillin@mn.nacdnet.net