As sawdust supplies in the U.S. grew tighter, dairymen found it to be an expensive, and sometimes non-existent, bedding material.

Three years ago, Harry Faber was running low on sawdust bedding for his 250 milking cows, but when he called for more he was told more could not be received.

Crying over spilled manure has become a favorite subject of mainstream media.

Increasingly stringent air-emission regulations and demands to better control odors has put an economic strain on industries that recycle large amounts of organic materials, such as compost facilities, dairies and feedlots.

In 1987, Ale and Hilly Riedstra and their family purchased a 30-cow dairy operation with their sights set on expansion.

Composting beef cattle manure, even with minimal management, can significantly reduce the concentrations of antibiotics in the manure, according to an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) pilot study.

In June 2007, a demonstration of the Microbially Assisted Regeneration System (MARS) was conducted at Bingham County’s Rattlesnake Landfill Site east of Firth, Idaho.

BACKHUS 16.30 compost turner BACKHUS has developed a new product for aerated windrow composting.

Manure produced by confined livestock operations is being viewed differently today than it has in the past. Formerly, manure was looked at as a waste material and disposed of without much consideration for the nutrients contained in the material. Today, with environmental regulations becoming ever-more restrictive and the price of agricultural inputs on the rise, manure is considered a more viable nutrient source for crop growth and development.

As we tackle the concept of whole-farm nutrient management in this issue it really comes to light how dairy producers today must perform an incredible balancing act throughout their entire operation.