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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 a sand separator improves slurry management on dairy farm

A separation system is allowing a Somerset dairy farm to remove sand bedding from manure to prevent settlement during storage and control what nutrients are spread on fields. Alistair and…

DAIRY

How a slurry robot has improved cow health and milk quality

The installation of four automatic slurry vacuums has helped a Scottish dairy farmer reduce his mastitis cases by 50%, as well as benefiting cow health and saving on labour. Farming…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How a dairy farm is using a straw dryer to reduce waste

Farmer Jonny Wyatt is using waste heat from the anaerobic digester (AD) plant on his mixed farm near Thetford, Norfolk, to dry out-of-spec straw to make drier bedding for his…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How a farmer is benefiting from installing slurry separator

Investing in a slurry separator has reduced labour requirements on a Shropshire dairy unit. Tim Dale installed the separator last autumn to alleviate the need to pump slurry into a…

PIGS

How a pig farmer is using bag tanks to improve slurry storage

A system of bag tank storage is putting a large-scale pig producer a step ahead of legislation that will require slurry stores to be covered by 2027. Pig farmer Andrew…

LIVESTOCK

How a dairy farm is using renewables to reduce fixed costs

An anaerobic digester (AD) plant, changes in cropping and cultivations, and a growing range of electric farm machinery are all helping Stephen Temple reduce fixed costs at Copys Green Farm,…

Practical advice

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GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Guide to soil biology and how to protect it

Many farms are closer to being “regenerative” than they might think, says a leading soil scientist. Ian Bell of Northern Soil Regen told delegates at Carbon Calling in Cumbria last…

LIVESTOCK

How regen practices can help cut inputs for livestock farmers

Regenerative farming can present an opportunity for dairy and mixed farms to lower production costs and greenhouse gases by reducing reliance on synthetic fertiliser and supplementary feed. Stephanie Race, founder…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

A guide to the updated autumn manure spreading rules

Updated guidance on how the Environment Agency (EA) should apply the Farming Rules for Water has cleared the way for muckspreading this coming autumn and winter. This is provided there…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

Slurry grants: Funding and changes around the UK

Tighter muck and slurry spreading and storage requirements are now in place across the UK. We take a look at the rules for each of the nations, what funding is…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How legumes, muck and slurry can help cut fertiliser bill

A rise in fertiliser costs of more than 200% since the end of 2020 has left many farmers asking whether they should look for alternative ways to maximise output from…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

6 ways to prepare for tighter slurry regulations

Pressure from the government's Clean Air Strategy to cut ammonia emissions means farms must look closely at slurry and manure management this year – if they haven’t done so already.…

AHDB slurry wizard

Help to calculate your slurry storage requirements

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Insights

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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…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

How slurry and forage analysis is benefiting from NIR tech

Adopting precision techniques more commonly used in the arable industry is allowing livestock and grassland enterprises at Myerscough College to run more efficiently. Following access to grant funding, the college…

TECHNOLOGY

Cornish firm creates kit to turn slurry emissions into fuel

Greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming rarely make for happy reading, but a small Cornish firm has come up with a raft of clever techniques for capturing and converting them…

LIVESTOCK

Farming rules for water: What’s in store?

The farming rules for water regulations (2018) (FRfW) were introduced to create a national baseline for good farm practices. They require land managers to take reasonable precautions to prevent diffuse…

SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENT

Plasma-treatment cuts ammonia loss by up to 90%

Treating slurry or digestate with an electrical plasma wave to lower its pH can reduce ammonia loss and save on nitrogen bills by closing the nitrogen cycle. The cost of…

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…