Operating, Calibrating, and Maintaining Animal Waste Management Systems

Next Generation Science/Common Core Standards Addressed CCSS.ELA Literacy RST Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions. CCSS.E L A Literacy RST Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. CCSS.ELA Literacy.RST.9 ‐ 10.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text. CCSS.E LALiteracy.RST.11 ‐ 12.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Standards Addressed! PST Operate machinery and equipment while observing all safety precautions in AFNR settings. PST c. Adjust equipment, machinery and power units for safe and efficient operation in AFNR power, structural and technical systems.

Bell Work/Objectives Describe the principles of waste management systems. Identify animal waste characteristics. Explain operating practices used in animal waste management. Describe the calibration of waste management systems. Explain the maintenance procedures for waste management systems.

Terms Anaerobic Earth basins Pits Semi-solid manure

Interest Approach Display a quart jar of manure to students. Ask them what it is and what it can be used for. Lead a discussion concerning the importance of waste management systems.

Objective #1 What are the principles of waste management systems?

Principles All waste starts with a source –animal, milk house, lot run- off All systems end in the soil All systems include investment, labor, convenience, aesthetics, and regulations No system is best, all have advantages and disadvantages –depends on personal preference, available capital & labor, waste sources, soil type, cropping practices

Regulations Federal, State, and Local regulations attempt to minimize or eliminate pollution. Well-designed system can achieve these goals. Federal regulations apply to all states and operations considered commercial in size. State and local regulations can impose stricter requirements on holding capacities, application times, ground water protection. Zoning & Public Health laws can affect design, construction, operation, & management of manure disposal systems.

Characteristics of animal waste. Properties depend on species, ration digestibility, protein & fiber content, age, environment & productivity Waste with 20-25% solids is handled as solid % solid, handling depends on type of solid % solid, handle as a liquid w/ special pumps 0 - 4% solid, handled with irrigation pump or flushing

Objective #3 What are the operating practices used in animal waste management?

Waste Collection Consider the type of facility, labor, investment, and total waste handling. Solid & semi-solid can be collected with tractors scrapers, front end loaders, or mechanical scrapers Liquid can be collected with scrapers, flushing systems, gravity flow gutters, or slotted floors.

Slotted Floors Separates waste from livestock. Materials, spacing, & width depends on manure and experience with slippage, feet injury, and other animal responses. Consider initial costs, predicted life, use, strength, corrosion, noise, and replacement cost. Waste beneath the floor is removed with water into a storage lagoon.

Solid floors Sloped solid floors aid in manure movement towards gutter or slotted area. Animals traffic tends to work the manure down slopes of 4% or more. Steeper slope can cause footing problems.

Types of slatted livestock flooring.

Collection Methods Shallow manual gutters –involve manure being hand scraped outside or into a pit every day to control odors Mechanical Scrapers –reduce manual labor depending on storage and cleanliness required Flush System –large volume of water flows down a gutter –water recycled in lagoon, earth basin, holding pond –timeliness of flushes depends on accumulation

Transporting Transporting from animal facility to storage facility involves large piston pump, pneumatic pump, centrifugal pump or gravity. System selected depends on farm’s characteristics, housing system, bedding practices, labor, and storage system.

Handling Manure can be handled as solid, semi-solid, or liquid. Amount of bedding or dilution of water influences form. Form influences selection of collection, storage facility and spreading equipment.

Storage - Site selection evaluate site and soil conditions avoid locating unlined facilities over shallow creviced bedrock or below water table avoid storing in sandy or gravely soils consider soil to a depth of 3’ below storage bottom check for buried utilities & drainage tiles consider surroundings and prevailing winds allow 100’ between water supply and facility locate for all year operation and access provide enough storage capacity

Liquid Manure Storage Pits –have vertical sidewalls, lined and are below grade –either in the building or outside Earth basins –earth walled structures formed by excavation –partly above and below grade –may or may not be lined –low to moderate investment –eliminate hazardous gas entrapment

Liquid Manure Storage Above ground tanks –more expensive than earth basins –good alternative when an earth basin won’t work –work well for an enclosed building Anaerobic lagoon –biological treatment for biodegradation –anaerobic process occurs without free oxygen –decompose more per unit than aerobic –give off a musty odor

Semi-solid Storage Semi-solid manure –manure with excess liquids drained off and some bedding added to increase solids content allows waste from many sources can be outside with picket dams to drain off rain water hauling schedule is flexible

Solid Storage Used where manure dries sufficiently or enough bedding is added to make it stackable.

Manure spreaders!

Applying Solid Wastes Should distribute waste uniformly with the proper equipment equipment need to be water tight for road use spreader mechanisms include paddles, flail, and augers feed apron should be variable speed drive is either ground or PTO

Flail Spreaders Flail-type –tanks with open tops –shaft mounted on top, parallel to main axis –chain flails on shaft throw waste out the side

Applying Liquid Manure Spread on fields by tank wagons, applied with irrigation equipment or digested in lagoons before being applied.

Objective #4 How are waste management systems calibrated?

Waste Management Manure can improve fertility and crop yields. Sampling for nutrient content is recommended. Poorly handled manure can degrade water quality and cause a nuisance. Rates of application should match crop nutrient requirements. Record keeping is necessary for the manager. Compliance for Federal, State, & Local regulations is essential.

Soil Physical Properties These influence application rates –water infiltration –water holding capacity –soil texture –total exchange capacity

Preventative Maintenance Preventative Maintenance should be given priority to reduce the chance for breakage, costly repair bills and loss of time. Adequate and timely adjustment, repair, protection from weather, and clean-up determine life of any machine. Consider potential flooding and runoff when designing storage systems.

Clean-up Timely equipment clean-up is necessary. Manure that is allowed to buildup will decrease life of equipment. High pressure washing is necessary to extend the life of manure handling equipment.

Review What are the principles of waste management systems? What are the characteristics of animal waste? What are the operating practices are used in animal waste management? How are waste management systems calibrated? What are the maintenance procedures for waste management systems?

The End!