Manure Management

Automated systems: Consistent owner maintenance equals long-term performance

lbrown@lely.com — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Consistent daily and weekly owner maintenance is necessary to get the most from automated milking, feeding or cleaning systems. Regular cleaning, inspecting and checking components prevents costly downtime, protects milk quality and reduces stress on cows and farmers.

Sustainable bedding solutions: Exploring manure solids separation and bedding recovery for dairy farms

dsa@iastate.edu — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

While most of us focus on how to move manure, store it and land-apply it, there's a growing interest in what else manure can do for the dairy. One of the more intriguing ideas? Turning it into bedding.

Progressive Events: Innovation and sustainability on the farm: A partnership for the future

lora@agproud.com — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 23:00:00 -0400

Sustainable farming has never been more important. Not only can prioritizing sustainability be beneficial to the environment and public perception, but also to your long-term success and the bottom line. Read how three Ontario dairy producers are implementing sustainable measures on their farms.

Manure management and planning for the year ahead

kkelderman@puck.com — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Producers can limit their risk exposure to costly mistakes in manure application by finding a custom application company that has the experience and knowledge to responsibly complete the job. A professional in the industry would have the proper equipment for your dairy operation, the range of knowledge needed for success and the capacity to get the job done in a timely fashion.

Advice for applying manure during winter

dsa@iastate.edu — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As winter approaches, the challenges associated with cattle manure application become more pronounced. Adopting best practices that maximize nutrient utilization and safeguard water resources is crucial. What follows are critical considerations for cattle manure application in the winter.

Make manure manageable again

matt.shortlane@gmail.com — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:31:20 -0400

Manure is a gift and a curse for dairy farmers. It becomes the dark cloud for dairy operations, being the source of time constraints, nutrient runoff and financial strains. Finding methods and approaches that bring consistency and flexibility to applications is often hard to find. That was, until conservation agriculture.

Inside Brilman Dairy: How a first-gen dairy producer’s fieldwork expertise drives revenue diversification

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Brilman Dairy welcomed Progressive Dairy into his facility to share some of its inner workings and the keys to his farm’s productivity.

Push your manure and feed management to automation

julie.johnson@gea.com — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

How does your dairy push feed and manure? Do you rely on a skid loader and an employee? Pushing these responsibilities to automation can save labor, fuel, and equipment wear and tear.

Embracing tradition and innovation at Sigview Farms

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The Signers manage a milking herd of about 60 cows, maxing out the space available to them in the farm’s previous tiestall facility. Thus, they set out to create a new facility that would not only incorporate newer technology into their routine, like a robotic milking system, but more importantly, would provide a greater level of comfort to the cows.

Trends in manure handling, application and treatment

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Explore three trends in manure management and their potential to impact operational efficiency.

Controlling bedding pathogens can reduce environmental mastitis

benjamin.saylor@churchdwight.com — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Controlling pathogen outgrowth in recycled manure bedding is possible. When a bacillus-based bedding additive was tested on-farm, a significant reduction in bulk tank SCC and mastitis cases was noticed.

Everything you never wanted to know about cow manure

cjenkins@standardnutrition.com — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Ever wonder what it is with this fecal fascination? Think of it as “reading the tea leaves,” except with poop instead of leaves. While this excremental exploration may seem unsightly at the surface, manure can provide critical insights into the efficiency of digestion of the dairy ration.

Roundtable: Three dairy producers on the value added from anaerobic digesters

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Three anaerobic digester operators discuss how their systems complement dairies operations and how they up the value of their farms.

How biogas plants can revolutionize Canadian dairy farming into circular economies

ldiaz-pappas@bioenertek.com — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Integrating biogas plants into Canadian dairy production has emerged as a transformative solution that not only addresses environmental challenges, but also establishes a circular economy within the dairy farming system.

Spill response: Tips, tricks and thoughts

megand@wdfarmsinc.com — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Manure has left the premises, now what? The manure applicator should have a plan in place before this situation arises.

Beyond the barn: Dairy farmers’ role in driving bottom-up change in supply chain emissions

info@agmethaneadvisors.com — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:38:14 -0500

Going forward, a dairy’s value will not only be determined by the quality of their milk, but by the scale of their climate impact.

Digestate from biogas operations: A solution to odour control in agriculture

croy@bioenertek.com — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The application of raw manure to fields, while essential for soil fertility, often results in the release of pungent odours that impact not just the rural landscape but also the quality of life in nearby communities.

Fueling the future: Innovations in agricultural biomass and biogas production

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:45:50 -0500

In an era where many corporations and governments are promising to reduce emissions en route to net zero, new opportunities have emerged for agriculture to diversify into carbon markets.

Understanding the environmental impact of sand removal for dairy digesters

hq@fitecbiogas.com — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

While the cutting-edge technology of turning cow manure into valuable biogas significantly addresses an important issue relating to climate change and renewable energy, the sand that is often used as bedding can pose an implementation challenge.

How biochar can be used as a manure storage cover

sanfordj@uwplatt.edu — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 08:20:04 -0400

Biomass covers are often overlooked as an option for addressing ammonia losses due to poor long-term performance and maintenance. Converting biomasses to biochar and applying it as a cover has the potential to address this issue.

Consider versatility, reliability when choosing a manure collection system

dschreiner@lely.com — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Keeping barns clean and free of waste is more than just for looks. A manure-free barn means improved cow health and medical outcomes, more sanitary milk and an overall healthier, more productive environment.

Reduce emissions, odor by working with the manure microbiome

jenn@agproud.com — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

There are several ways manure can be properly stored and handled that is safe for cattle, people and soil, while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and odor.

Manure gas is invisible and dangerous, but safety is simple

schos021@umn.edu — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Agricultural work can involve many hazards, but injuries, illnesses and death are preventable.

Manure application: Considerations for keeping it in-house or hiring out

megand@wdfarmsinc.com — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Manure needs to be on the forefront of the farm management’s team mind, not the back. That being said, in the best interest of the operation, should manure be handled in-house or should a custom applicator be hired? There are several factors to consider when making this decision.

JCB Mini Excavators: Built Farm Tough and Farm Flexible

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

This article takes a deep dive into the makeup of the 35Z-1 and the 50Z-1 mini excavators and the unique advantages these machines offer.

Is your dairy’s sand bedding quality up to par?

rschrift@mclanahan.com — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Sand is the gold standard for dairy cow bedding, but all that glitters is not gold.

Dairy farms, emissions and the industry's net-zero goal

mromulo@axiota.com — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The Dairy Farmers of Canada's (DFC) target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 is not a recent development. This objective has sparked queries from producers who initially felt unprepared and uncertain about how to achieve it.

Manure management varies to fit Canada’s diverse industry

info@opaca.net — Thu, 04 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Now more than ever, manure management is critical for successful farming. Last year, Canada’s government set a target to reduce nitrogen emissions by 30%, and improving manure management will be necessary to reach that goal.

Turn a pollutant into green gold by reducing nitrogen loss in slurry

export@storthmachinery.co.uk — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Slurry contains valuable quantities of nitrogen in the form of a liquid: ammonium usually found in livestock urine. Ammonium is readily available for absorption by plant root systems, but from the moment it hits the barn floor until it is incorporated into the field, large quantities are lost in the atmosphere in the form of ammonia gas.

Keep your farm from being the lead story on the 6 o’clock news

kevin.erb@wisc.edu — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Accidental manure spills happen. The difference between being the lead story on the 6 o’clock news or it being a minor incident can depend on what you or your employees do in the first critical minutes.