Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Environmental Issues That Affect Confinement Beef Production CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) Environmental Impact CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) http: // CAFO Information Adapted from Dr. Rick Koelsch, UNL

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Environmental Impact Cattle aren’t people, but … ($32)

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment Thermoneutral zone (TNZ) … Description Lower Critical Temperature °F Summer coat or wet coat59 Fall coat45 Winter coat32 Heavy winter coat18 Lower critical temperature (LCT) is the temperature below which an animal must burn extra energy to keep warm.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment Effective Ambient Temperature CALF (54 to 77 F ⁰ ) COW (0 to 61 F ⁰ )UCT F⁰F⁰ C⁰C⁰ Effect of Environment on Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals (1981) Lower critical temperature (LCT) is the temperature below which an animal must burn extra energy to keep warm. Note: Influenced by hair coat length, dryness & fat cover Upper critical temperature (UCT) is the temperature above which an animal diverts metabolism & activities to cool. Note: Influenced by hair coat length, relative humidity, radiant heat, air movement (wind speed), dryness & fat cover

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment HEAT Stress … yeah, it’s a big deal Wind speeds above a 5 to 10 MPH initiation speed effectively decrease THI one unit/mph 85 THI  100 Heat Index (HI)

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment AIR FLOW HEAT … management … KEYs: AIR FLOW & WATER Wind speeds above a 5 to 10 MPH initiation speed effectively decrease THI one unit/mph Air flow obstruction common … wind breaks, barns Wind rise is ~10:1 … Wind fall is ~ 2½:1 Mounds can provide improved air flow + winter storm protection Tall SHADES work !!! … maintenance can be tough –Stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) can prevent using –Need to control weeds (fly habitat and air flow obstruction)

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment WATER HEAT … management … KEYs: AIR FLOW & WATER Water Intake when ambient temp >82F ~ 1.8% BW Supply in 2 hrs … When under demand pressure Reserve capacity & linear space may be critical – 1 gal/head & 2” linear/head … inadequate Water flow at 40 PSI in ½” water line is ~ 8 GPM Double the line size increases water flow 4 X Water pressure decreases 25% / 90 ⁰ turn Water pressure decreases due to friction ↑↓ – Type of pipe (roughness) & diameter (frict.↑ as dia.↓) – –

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment MUD … yeah, it’s a big deal –1000 lb cattle via their urine & feces put into their environment enough water equal to 3 inches of rain per 100 sq.ft each month … evap. rate? –Dew claw (15 cm) mud … FE - 8 to 14% (24 cm mud decrease FE - 15 to 25%) Predicting Feed Intake of Food-Producing Animals (1987) pg Table 6.5

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment MUD … management – Decrease Stocking Density … to match precipitation and evaporation … – Fails if pen surface is not kept hard and clean Keeping hard … PACK > 100 lb density composite soil – 4.5”x1/2” core … 18 grams ~ 100lbs/ft 3 Clay ~ 54lb/ft 3... Sand ~ 100lb/ft 3 … Alternate surface materials ??? – use seasoned manure or “pond ash”? Clean regularly (monthly) … pile in back of pen

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Cattle & their Environment DUST … yeah, it’s a big deal –1000 lb cattle via their urine & feces put into their environment enough water equal to 3 inches of rain per 100 sq.ft each month … use to control dust? –Respirable dust < 4 microns –Dust is mainly a DUSK event –Causes angry neighbors Dr. John Sweeten, TAMU Res. & Extension Center, Amarillo, TX

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center NOAA ( National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) us_prec.shtml Home Work Finding Weather Information

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center EPA – CAFO (CAFO Information Adapted from Dr. Rick Koelsch, UNL) ( … ) What’s the deal?

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Farmer Feeder Flush System

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Environmental Regulations Impacting Animal Production (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Rule) EPA CAFO Rule – Established minimum standards for all states – Targeted large livestock and poultry operations – Places emphasis on Nutrient Management Planning

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Definition of Terms AFO (Animal Feeding Operation) CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) … EPA permit program

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Which Animal Feeding Operations will need an NPDES permit? Operations defined or designated as a CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) Primary focus is on: Larger livestock and poultry facilities Those confined in barns or open lots* *Typically excludes grazing and pasture based operations

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Step 1. Is the operation an AFO? Does operation house or feed animals in a confined area for more than 45 days in any 12-month period? Does the majority of the animal confinement area sustain crops, pasture, or residue through the entire year? YES Not an AFO. (No NPDES Permit Required) NO No…My Operation is an AFO Step 2. YES

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Avoiding the “AFO” Designation Don’t confine animals – Keep gates open on confinement areas – Maintain free access to range/pasture – Confine less than 45 days in a year Maintain vegetation – Keep animal density low – Move confinement areas frequently

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Regulatory Definitions of Large CAFOs, Medium CAFO, and Small CAFOs A Large CAFO confines at least the number of animals described in the table below. A Medium CAFO falls within the size range in the table below and either: has a manmade ditch or pipe that carries manure or wastewater to surface water; or the animals come into contact with surface water that passes through the area where they’re confined. If an operation is found to be a significant contributor of pollutants, the permitting authority may designate a medium- sized facility as a CAFO. A Small CAFO confines fewer than the number of animals listed in the table and has been designated as a CAFO by the permitting authority as a significant contributor of pollutants.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Regulatory Definitions of Large CAFOs, Medium CAFO, and Small CAFOs Cattle Sectors Size Thresholds (number of cattle) Large CAFOs Medium CAFOs 1 Small CAFOs 2 cattle or cow/calf pairs ≥ 1, ≤ 300 mature dairy cattle ≥ ≤ Must also meet one of two “method of discharge” criteria to be defined as a CAFO or may be designated. 2 Never a CAFO by regulatory definition, but may be designated as a CAFO on a case-by-case basis.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Step 2. Is the operation a Large CAFO? Refer to the CAFO Size Table for the cattle operation. Does the LARGE CAFO Classification apply? Applies to the maximum one-time capacity for the cattle operation.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Step 2. Is the operation a Large CAFO? Complete the CAFO Size Determination Table for the operation. Does the LARGE CAFO Classification apply? NO Step 3. NPDES Permit Required* YES * Some Large CAFOs may demonstrate no potential to discharge and not need a NPDES permit.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Regulatory Definitions of Large CAFOs, Medium CAFO, and Small CAFOs Cattle Sectors Size Thresholds (number of cattle) Large CAFOs Medium CAFOs 1 Small CAFOs 2 cattle or cow/calf pairs ≥ 1, ≤ 300 mature dairy cattle ≥ ≤ Must also meet one of two “method of discharge” criteria to be defined as a CAFO or may be designated. 2 Never a CAFO by regulatory definition, but may be designated as a CAFO on a case-by-case basis.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Step 3. Is the operation a Medium CAFO? Complete the CAFO Size Determination Table for the operation. Does the MEDIUM CAFO Classification apply? 1) Are animals in contact with waters of the US running through the confinement area? OR 2) Is a man-made ditch or pipe carrying manure or wastewater from animal housing or feeding area to waters of the US? OR 3) Has permitting authority designated operation as a CAFO? YES NO No Duty to Apply NO to 1, 2 & 3 YES to any NPDES permit required. * * Some Medium CAFOs may demonstrate no potential to discharge and not need a NPDES permit.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Avoiding an CAFO Designation for Medium & Small AFO’s Avoid connection between areas of confinement and surface waters – Locate areas of confinement away from surface waters (and ditches/grassed waterways connected to surface waters). – Establish a grassed buffer between confinement and surface waters (and ditches/grassed waterways connected to surface waters).

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Major Rule Elements Production Area Requirements – Runoff control for storms less than 25-year, 24-hour storm (beef & dairy) – Storage requirements – Mortality management plan Nutrient Management Plan Required

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Feedlot Review __ Does operation have potential to discharge? __ Is Runoff Collected? __ Is Clean Water Diverted? __ Do Animals Have Contact with Surface Water? Confinement Barns Review __ Do I meet NDEQ standards for manure storage? __ Control of runoff from silage storage? __ Do I have a reasonable plan for mortality?

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Storage Evaluation __ Does the storage have adequate capacity? __ Is there a level indicator? __ Is “Must Pump” & “Pre-winter Must Pump” levels clearly identified? Do I have critical Storage Records? __ Pond level __ Precipitation __ Pump down timing & amounts

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Nutrient Management Plan Elements Adequate storage Mortality management Divert clean water Prevent direct contact Proper chemical handling Site-specific conservation practices Manure/soil testing Land application Records and documentation

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Site Specific Manure Application Plans? __ Application rates __ Soil conservation measures __ Setbacks from surface water Land Application Review __ Site Specific Plan? __ Records? __ Sufficient buffers or setbacks? Required Nutrient Management Plan Records? __ Land application (where, when, amount, & weather conditions) __ Crop yield records__ Manure & soils analysis reports __ Application equipment inspection & calibration records

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center For More Information InternationalComissionofAgriculturalEngineering.htm InternationalComissionofAgriculturalEngineering.htm HOME WORK Vegetative Strip System for Livestock Wastes

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Medical Wastes … Sharps Disposal 40 CFR Parts 22 and CFR Parts 22 and 259 Land contamination, from improper disposal of livestock medical waste, can result in expensive cleanup operations and EPA fines. In addition, the EPA has the authority to block the sale or transfer of ownership of land with environmental contamination. Two legal options are available for livestock medical sharps disposal: Incase livestock medical sharps in a rigid mass such as “Portland Cement” or “Sharp-Seal” a. Seal in a properly labeled rigid container and send to an approved landfill. Heat until melted and then bury in an identified location on the operation. » » Medical sharps (disposable hypodermic needles & scalpel blades) should never be discarded loosely into the trash. » » Do not discard sharps in containers that are easily punctured or containers that are not labeled with a “BIOHAZARD” warning.

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Sharps Disposal Container Label HOME WORK 1) Check out the EPA links above 2) Can you find a legal sharps disposal location or service for you & your producers in your practice area … What is the estimated cost?

Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center Save a Cow … Eat a Vegetarian Good Luck To You