Practicality Gerald Bodman MEMO HAY, STRAW and EAR CORN SALE EVERY MONDAY AT 11 ft M EVERY WEDNESDAY 12 00 NOON NEW HOLLAND SALES STABLES. INC Phone 717 354-4341 Lloyd H Kreider Auct By DIETER KRIEG LEINBACHS, Pa. - Before any farmer makes up his mind on how he’s going to handle and store manure on his farm, Penn State Ex tension Agricultural Engineer Gerald Bodman suggests he take a good hard look at the alternatives. It’s important to keep things practical and simple, he emphasizes. Bodman made the remark during a presentation on manure management, which was part of the Dairy Day programs held this week at four different locations in southeastern Pennsylvania One of these sessions was held near this Berks County community at the Berks County Agricultural Center. Showing slides of various types of manure storage systems, Bodman pointed out the advantages and disadvantages of each. He commented that the earthen bank manure pond is still the most practical and least expensive. One such facility is located on the Donald Trimble farm near Peach Bottom. “You should question the mode of operation and hauling,” Bodman suggested. He cited one Manure management is of main concern A simple manure pond, such as this one on the Don Trimble farm in southern Lancaster County, is study showed that 80 per cent of a farmer’s manure handling time was spent driving back and forth from the field. In another case, three out of every four loads were water. A third study on a New York State research farm which is owned and operated by a large farmer ■cooperative, showed that one man could empty an above ground storage facility in just 22 hours. It contained 190 days worth of manure from 53 cows. While expressing some reservations on a few above-ground storage facilities, the Penn State ag AARON S. GROFF & SON FARM & DAIRY STORE RD3, Ephrata, PA 17522 IHinkletown] Phone (7171354-4631 Store Hours 7AM to 9 P M. Closed lues., Wed & Sal atS;3OP.M engineer had high marks for , the New York farm’s program. Aside from the pond and above-ground facilities, Bodman also introduced the audience to a relatively new concept in Pennsylvania - the slotted dam. (See pages 20-21 of last week’s Lan caster Farming.) This principle features two storage areas at different levels which are separated by a “slotted dam.” The upper storage area collects solids, while liquids collect m the pond below. The system allows for conventional Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Dec. 11,1976 — thought to be one of the most practical ways to store manure. hauling in the upper facility and mere pumping once a year from the pond. A modification of the manure pond can be found on the Matt Young farm, also in southern Lancaster County. The Peach Bottom area dairyman is experimenting with an anaerobic lagoon and so far it’s successful, Bodman exclaimed. Hauling methods are of uppermost concern to Bodman, who claims that the wrong system could cost the farmer several hundred dollars m maintenance per year. In some cases, he noted, it’s cheaper to go to irrigation of manure liquids. Questions on drift, odor and evaporation must then be considered. The Extension engineer also pointed out that many of the systems on the market today - since they are relatively new - have not yet withstood the test of time. “Equipment is nice when it’s new,” he em phasized, “but it’ll all take upkeep eventually.” Bodman cited cost figures of manure storage systems which ranged from 15 cents to $2 per cow per day manure is stored. With this in mind, he underscored his belief in keeping things simple and practical. “Look at it hard, question the practicality of your alternatives,” he ad vised. In closing his remarks, Bodman gave a quick review on proper injection techniques, automatic free stall bam scrapers, and safety controls on pumps. The latter is expected to become mandatory in the near future. 87
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