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This publication was awarded a blue ribbon in the 1998 ASAE Educational Aids Competition.

Liquid Manure Application Systems Design Manual, NRAES-89, provides the agricultural community with current research and industry experience in applying liquid manures to farmland. Emphasizing basic principles, this abundantly illustrated manual outlines a design process for planning and implementing an economically efficient, environmentally safe liquid manure application system that is tailored to the producerÕs needs. The comprehensive guide discusses basic design componentsÑsuch as a variety of pumps, pipes, hoses, and irrigation nozzlesÑof commonly used liquid manure application systems. Field application methods covered include tankers, hard-hose reel systems, drag hose/soft hose ground application, and center pivot irrigation. The design manual also discusses such management issues as environmental assessment, nutrient management, liquid manure storage and handling, application rate strategies, environmental assessment, odor control, and safety. Included are 69 illustrations and 20 tables, plus work sheets, suggested readings, and a list of manufacturers. Livestock producers, environmental regulators, waste management sales professionals, irrigators, system designers, public officials, and educators are among those who will benefit from this book. (1998)

Liquid manure may be defined as any liquid that is contaminated from the animal production system, and the on-farm management of liquid manure presents an important opportunity to curtail agricultural nonpoint source pollution. Liquid Manure Application Systems Design Manual, NRAES-89, provides the agricultural community with current research and industry experience in applying liquid manures to farmland.

Emphasizing basic principles, this abundantly illustrated 168-page manual outlines a design process for planning and implementing an economically efficient, environmentally safe liquid manure application system that is tailored to the producer's needs. The comprehensive guide discusses basic design components-such as a variety of pumps, pipes, hoses, and irrigation nozzles-of commonly used liquid manure application systems. Field application methods covered include tankers, hard-hose reel systems, drag hose/soft hose ground application, and center pivot irrigation. The design manual also discusses such management issues as environmental assessment, nutrient management, liquid manure storage and handling, application rate strategies, environmental assessment, odor control, and safety. The manual includes 69 illustrations and 20 tables, plus work sheets, suggested readings, and a list of manufacturers. Livestock producers, environmental regulators, waste management sales professionals, irrigators, system designers, public officials, and educators are among those who will benefit from this book.

Authors of the Liquid Manure Application Systems Design Manual are Mark Dougherty, staff engineer, NRAES; Larry D. Geohring, senior extension associate, agricultural and biological engineering, Cornell University; and Peter Wright, animal waste specialist, agricultural and biological engineering, Cornell.

Liquid Manure Application Systems Design Manual, NRAES-89, is available for $30.00 per copy (plus shipping and handling) from NRAES, Cooperative Extension, PO Box 4557, Ithaca, New York 14852-4557. Quantity discounts are available. The shipping and handling charge is $6.00 for a single copy within the continental United States. New York residents, add sales tax (calculated on both the cost of publications and the shipping and handling charges. Click here for more information). If ordering more than one book or if ordering from outside the United States, please contact NRAES for shipping costs. Orders from outside the United States must be prepaid in U.S. funds. Major credit cards are accepted, and checks should be made payable to NRAES. For information about quantity discounts, or for a free publications catalog, contact NRAES by phone at (607) 255-7654, by fax at (607) 254-8770, or by e-mail at nraes@cornell.edu.

Introduction

Why Go to a Liquid Manure System?

What Are the End Uses of Manure and Manure Nutrients?

What Is the General Design Process?

Questions Addressed in This Book



Chapter 1: Characteristics and Testing of Liquid Manure

Liquid Manure Characteristics
Moisture/Solids Content
Nutrient Content
Pathogens in Liquid Manure Systems
Other Potentially Harmful Materials in Liquid Manure
Odors

Manure Sampling and Analysis
Manure Variability
Liquid Manure Sampling at the Farm
Laboratory and Field Testing of Manure
Interpreting Test Results

Example Problems
Dilution of Manure Nitrogen (N) by Water Addition
Laboratory Analysis of Liquid Manure from a Swine Lagoon



Chapter 2: Evaluating Land Application Sites

Environmental and Regulatory Setting
Farm Nutrient Management Planning
Watershed Planning
Political Boundaries and Regulations
Future Regulatory Trends in the Livestock Industry

Environmental Risks of Liquid Manure Application
Water
Soil
Atmosphere
Crops

Site Constraints
Soil Hydrology
Neighboring Land Uses
Other Site Considerations



Chapter 3: Liquid Manure from the Barn to the Field

Liquid Manure Handling at the Farmstead
Inside the Barn
Open Lot Areas (Unsheltered Barnyards)
Transfer to Storage (Low-Head Systems)
Liquid Manure Storages
Storage Agitation and Emptying

Transport to Fields
Spreaders, Tankers, and Satellite Storages
High-Head Pumps
Pipes

Example Problems
Estimating Roof Runoff Flow
Preliminary Sizing of an Uncovered Rectangular Earthen Storage
Determining Total Dynamic Head
Determining Engine/Motor Size
Cost of Electricity for Pumping
Annual Cost of Pumping
Determining Pipe Friction Loss and TDH
Calculating Minor Head Loss
Determining TDH and Motor Size for Pit-to-Storage Pumping
Concrete Thrust Block Sizing



Chapter 4: Field Application of Liquid Manure

Application Methods
Tankers or Tank Spreaders
Hard-Hose Reel Systems
Drag Hose/Soft Hose with Ground Application
Center Pivots

Comparison of Liquid Manure Application Methods
Operational Effects
Environmental Ramifications
Uniformity of Application

Example Problem
Determining Design Reel Travel Speed



Chapter 5: Management

Liquid Manure Application Rate Strategies
Limiting Design Factor Strategy
Optimum Resource Recovery Strategy
Disposal Strategy

Managing Manure Nutrients
Using Professional Recommendations
Determining Application Rates
Monitoring Application Rates
Record Keeping
Improving Uniformity

Environmental Assessment and Assurance
Assessment Questions for Managers

Crop and Soil Management
Cropping and Tillage Practices
Monitoring Soil Moisture
Hydrologic Evaluation and Management
Time of Year
Avoiding Compaction

Avoiding Odors
Site Selection
Maintaining Good Neighbor Relations
Management of Storage Facilities
Field Application
Treatment Options for Controlling Odors

Operation and Maintenance
Starting and Operating the System
Evaluation of Operating Systems
Preventive Maintenance
People Management

Safety Issues
Excavation Safety
Electrical Safety
Materials Handling and Equipment Safety
Manure Storage Safety
Confined Space Safety
Tanker Travel Safety
Emergency Plans
How to Prevent Manure Spills

Example Problems
Estimating Liquid Manure Application Rates
Calculating Coefficient of Uniformity



Chapter 6: Applying the Design Procedure

Design Example
1. Determine design application rate.
2. Select the method of manure transport
3. Determine necessary size of system components (pipes, pumps, tankers, guns).
4. Determine ground travel speed of application equipment.



Appendixes

Appendix 1: Common English Abbreviations and Conversions
Appendix 2: Conversion Factors
Appendix 3: Individual Field Manure Allocation Assessment
Appendix 4: Work Sheet for Estimating Liquid Manure Application Rates
Appendix 5: Manure Application Record
Appendix 6: Irrigation Pumping Log
Appendix 7: Field Nutrient Balance
Appendix 8: Annual Farm Summary

List of Manufacturers

Suggested Readings

Bibliography