Estimating the size of a manure or compost pile is a useful exercise for storage and later spreading on the land.
Under Alberta’s agriculture operations practices act, a producer does not have to report handling practices if there is less than 500 tonnes of manure. Matt Oryschak, an environmental program specialist with Alberta Agriculture said if the amount exceeds 500 tonnes, application records and soil test results must be reported.
It is also useful to know how much is in the pile for spreading to get the most out of it as a soil amendment and offset the fertilizer bill.
“Knowing how much manure your operation is producing in a given year helps with your planning,” Oryschak said.
“If you know how much manure you have and know the capacity of equipment, you will know how long it will take to spread.”
