One of the focal areas of interest for the LUW Team has been in developing alternative methods for handling (treating, storing and land applying) livestock manure that are economical and practical for the livestock and grain farmer as well as environmentally wholesome for the general citizenry. The LUW Team has developed a systems approach for processing and land applying liquid swine manure (slurry) that is applicable, also, to liquid dairy manure and beef cattle finishing manure stored in below slatted floor pits, slurry stores and/or lagoons.

This systems approach has four components:

• once or twice weekly draining and recharge of below slatted floor pits (frequent removal of the slurry from the building(s).
• separation of the solids (biosolids) and liquid (effluent) fractions of slurry using mechanical separators and chemical flocculants.
• composting of the biosolids for subsequent use as a soil amendment or direct land application of the biosolids similar to direct injection of slurry.
• storage of the separated effluent until land application.
• land application of the separated effluent via center pivot irrigation or a modified underground drainage system.

Further Reading

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