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Know How / Slurry and manure management

Every livestock farm has to deal with waste and with the increasing focus on environmental impact, it’s key it is managed appropriately. These articles include guidance on legislation, regulation, storage systems and making the most of slurry and manure.

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SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How farm's slurry covers meet the challenge of a wet winter

The value in topping a Pembrokeshire dairy farm’s 4,000 cu m (879,877-gallon) slurry lagoon with an impermeable cover was brought into focus last autumn during weeks of heavy rain. A…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

Benefits of analysing slurry as it's being spread

Comprehensive in-field nutrient analysis has turned dairy slurry from “a headache” into a valuable product for Norman Osborne, who farms at Tobarn Farm, near Jacobstow, Cornwall. Establishing the nitrogen, potassium…

LIVESTOCK

How drying poultry manure can deliver for the bottom line

Chicken manure does not always receive the best press – blamed to varying degrees for water pollution, obnoxious smells and general unpleasantness. But for north-east egg producer and regenerative arable…

DAIRY

How slurry investment will slash dairy unit’s energy bills

It takes courage to spend more than £700,000 on a small-scale anaerobic digestion plant and slurry separator when milk prices are under pressure. However, the new setup at a Cumbrian…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How new slurry store sets up dairy to optimise spreading

Investing in six months of covered slurry storage, an integral stirrer and a separator has future-proofed an 850-cow dairy herd’s ability to produce milk and comply with environmental standards. The…

POULTRY

How bokashi is helping a poultry farm's nutrient management

At Woodend Farm on the Scottish Borders, manure produced by the farm’s 32,000 free-range hens is mixed with woodchip, chopped straw and an inoculant rich in microbes. By sealing this…

Practical advice

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SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

On-farm slurry-fed anaerobic digestion: What to consider

Interest is growing in farm-scale anaerobic digesters, using slurry as a feedstock, driven by the need to reduce manufactured inputs – for economic and environmental reasons – and the cost…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

Support for muck and slurry management: What’s on offer?

Tackling pollution from agriculture is a priority for governments in all four UK countries. As a result, there is growing pressure on farmers to get better at managing their slurry…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Autumn grazing tips to optimise grass nutrient value in spring

To achieve optimal production from pasture, dairy farmers should avoid leaving long grass and feeding cows too much cake, according to expert advice. “When you allow your grazing covers to…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

Advice on assessing the nutritional value of manure on crops

Used properly on crops, muck is a valuable by-product that offers the opportunity to reduce artificial fertiliser inputs and improve soil health. However, measuring its nutrient value and the associated…

DAIRY

7 tips for expanding your dairy herd safely

Over the past two decades, the average UK herd size has more than doubled, and consultants say more dairy farmers are looking to expand to "stay in the game" amid…

LIVESTOCK

Ways to cut emissions in housed livestock systems

All livestock farms, regardless of system, must comply with UK environmental legislation, but as the sector comes under greater pressure to go further with greener farming methods, it is businesses…

AHDB slurry wizard

Help to calculate your slurry storage requirements

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Insights

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SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How phosphorus recovery could change slurry management

As pressure grows on dairy farmers to manage phosphorus more carefully and reduce water pollution, novel technology to remove phosphorus from slurry could offer a game-changing solution. The technology has…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How a slurry inoculant helped increase grass yields by 20%

Use of a slurry inoculant on a Cornish farm resulted in fewer nutrient losses and a boost in grass yields by nearly 20%, a trial has shown. These resulted in…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Why calcium is critical for soil, plant and animal health

Calcium’s superpowers have been known by agronomists for years, yet not enough attention is paid to the crucial role this mineral plays in soil health on farm. This is according…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How water treatment technology could cut slurry storage

Adapting water treatment technology to a farm setting could reduce slurry storage requirements by 10-15%, make better use of farm nutrients and produce an effluent that is suitable for discharge…

LIVESTOCK

How better use of slurry could help reach net zero targets

Researchers in Northern Ireland are exploring how manures can be more than just a waste product by helping reduce overall carbon footprints and associated emissions. The work, carried out by…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How a slurry chopper pump is enhancing dairy farm efficiency

Efficiency is a key priority at Old Holly Farm, Garstang, explains farmer Ian Pye. His organic herd of Holstein Friesian cross Scandinavian Red dairy cows is managed on a predominantly…

Video

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SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

Video: High-tech machine to revolutionise slurry pollution

While there has been a reduction in water pollution problems over recent years in England, agriculture is now the sector responsible for the largest number of serious incidents. In this…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How to ‘home-test’ grass to know when to cut for silage

When there is late application of fertiliser and slurry to crops, it is vital important to test grass before cutting for silage. Excess nitrogen is a risk in these fields…