Animal manure amounts to 1.36 billion tons per year in the United States, which means the need for manure management becomes even more critical to protect environmental quality.
The University of Nebraska's Cooperative Extension Livestock Producer Environmental Assistance Project (LPEAP) is helping producers avoid environmental problems.
A Nebraska farmer recognized his lagoon posed a problem. It was originally used for a swine farrow-to-finish operation, but had not been used for several years. He was able to abandon the lagoon with the help he received from the LPEAP team. The producer was able to remove all liquids and pumpable slurry, protect the integrity of the existing liner and apply
the liquid and sludge to cropland at agronomic rates.
The liquid and sludge were pumped, excavated and spread to nearby pastureland. Filling the lagoon with soil, workers pushed in the existing berms and brought in additional fill dirt as needed. The area was graded to prevent water from collecting where the lagoon was located. Once the dirt work was completed, vegetation was established.
By removing nutrients and capping the lagoon to prevent rainwater infiltration, the project helped isolate any remaining nutrients and minimize the risk of groundwater contamination.
These improvements are part of eight demonstration projects conducted by LPEAP. The project has been approved for another two years of funding and is available to help other small livestock producers across Nebraska. To learn more about the projects or how to qualify for assistance, contact your Cooperative Extension office or Mick Reynolds, project coordinator, at (402) 469-0156.
Dave Varner is an Extension Educator with the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension office in Dodge County. Dave may be contacted at 727-2775, 1206 West 23rd Street in Fremont, or at dvarner1@unl.edu
