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Small Farms
Manure Storage
Store or Spread?
Accumulated manure can cause health, odor, and water quality problems if not properly dealt with. One option is to collect the waste daily, load it in a spreader, and spread it on cropland, hayland, or pasture. This is time consuming and also has to be done regardless of the soil moisture, weather, or time of year. Spreading on saturated soils compacts and compromises soil quality; spreading on frozen soils can lead to offsite runoff of manure.
The alternative to daily spreading is to stockpile or store the manure for a period of time, at which point it may be spread or hauled away and utilized beneficially elsewhere. Even though the number of livestock on your farm may not be large, enough manure will be generated to pose a problem if planning is not done. For example, a single horse can produce 50 pounds of manure per day which translates to 11 cubic yards and 9 tons annually. The manure and bedding produced by this horse in a year can exceed 25 cubic yards. This would require a storage area of about 12 feet by 12 feet with an accumulated depth of 3 to 5 feet for one year of storage, depending how much decomposition and compaction of the manure takes place. For more, see Manure Production and Characteristics to calculate the amount of manure produced by various animals.
Principles of Manure Storage
Regardless of the type or size of manure storage, there are a few basic principles to always follow:
- Keep the clean water clean. This means that rooftop or surface runoff should be diverted away from the manure storage. Gutters and downspouts often are the best way to collect and convey rooftop runoff to an underground outlet pipe, or recharge to the ground water in very well drained soils.
- Treat the dirty water. Any rainfall landing on the manure pile or the livestock concentration areas should drain to a treatment area, such as a well vegetated filter strip. The grasses absorb and reduce many of the pollutants in the runoff.
- Store the manure out of a flood hazard area. Flood waters that can reach a manure storage location will transport manure downstream and cause extensive water quality problems.
- Store the manure where it is easily accessible to load and unload. Efficiency is important in order to properly manage the manure facility.
- Avoid steep slopes when siting your storage location. The steeper the slope, the more difficult it is to manage the storage area, and the greater potential for offsite runoff.
- If you spread the stored manure on your own land, do so following a nutrient management plan that establishes the spreading rate per acre to match the nutrients available in the manure to the needs of the crop.
Manure Storage Considerations
Storage can be very simple or quite complex; very inexpensive or quite pricey. The choice depends on a number of factors.
Storage siting
The first thing to decide when contemplating storage is the location. The spot has to be very convenient to the animal housing, but there is more to consider. The storage must be located well outside of any stream floodplain, and should have a slight slope for drainage, but slope so much that runoff can cause problems. It is important to prevent manure from being washed offsite to streams or lakes. Manure is a very serious pollutant when it is not managed correctly. The bacteria, phosphorous, nitrogen, and organic matter pose risks to aquatic organisms and humans.
Odor management is another consideration when siting a storage facility. Look at wind direction as relates to dwellings. The final consideration is aesthetics. If possible, keep the facility out of view of neighbors and passers-by. Sometimes a screen of trees and shrubs can help, and also may reduce odor.
Storage sizing
The sizing of a storage facility depends upon three factors:
- How many animals are on the farm, and how much of the manure is collected?
- What is the time period the storage will be accumulating manure before emptying?
- How much money is available for building the facility?
From the weights and volume cited above for a single horse, it is easy to see how a storage facility can get large quickly, with just a few animals. Also consider that the ideal length of time permanent storage should have capacity for is six months; the minimum should be 3 months.
Related Pages
This is the first of three pages on this subject.
- Page 2 Storing Manure on Small Farms : Options for Storage
- Page 3 Storing Manure on Small Farms : Good Management Practices
Author: Fred Kelly, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, New Jersey
