A U of S project will compare fertilization, traditional manure application and variable-rate manure application
The University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence is looking into ways to make better use of an under-appreciated resource — manure. Soil science professor Jeff Schoenau and his research team — also known as the poo crew — are in the second year of a five-year study trying to find the optimal […] Read moreTag Archives manure — page 2
Student finds way to put manure to use
The University of Calgary business student starts a company that uses manure as a concentrated fertilizer and energy source
Growing up on a ranch in the British Columbia interior, Victoria Ross understood that manure disposal is an ongoing challenge. Now a business student at the University of Calgary, she has created Agro Systems, a company using manure as a concentrated fertilizer and energy source. Ross has been working on the project for more than […] Read more
German dribble manure technology debuts in Canada
The Vogelsang unit is equipped with a knife and cutting screen, turning manure into “liquid gold” that can be applied to a growing crop
WOODSTOCK, Ont. — Manure application technology from Germany has arrived in North America. Ole Beckmann, international sales manager with Hugo Vogelsang GBMH & Co., said dribble manure application was developed in the late 1960s in Germany and is now used widely in Europe. Vogelsang developed the first dribbler bar in 1978. The technology caught the […] Read more
Turn thick lumpy gumbo into nice runny slurry
GUELPH, Ont. — Agitating and pumping slurry is a large ongoing expense for hog and dairy farmers because slurry typically has the consistency of lumpy gumbo. However, it’s not as much of a problem for the 500 Canadian livestock producers who regularly introduce a biological additive called BactZyme into their slurry pits, says Andrew Flokstra, […] Read more
Extracted nutrients form new fertilizer
Waste-water management | Ostara’s patented Pearl process could help address phosphorus concerns in Lake Winnipeg
Isolating and transporting phosphorus and nitrogen has always been the Holy Grail for scientists trying to develop better manure management technologies. If those two elements could be economically extracted and exported beyond the point of origin, pollution from manure could be nearly eliminated and commercial grade fertilizer could be sold at a profit far past […] Read more
Puck boat puts more profit in pocket
One 245 horsepower Puck Agitation Boat does the work of four tractors and four agitators, says a custom slurry applicator. It also does a better job cleaning out the lagoon. Ian Branson, who owns Branson’s TBHS in Brandon, said he used four tractors powering four agitators for the first 10 years that he was in […] Read more
Digesters unlock manure’s potential
There’s no doubt anaerobic digesters work, but making them economically viable in Canada’s extreme prairie winter is another matter. Anaerobic digesters use heat to convert biomass, whether it’s for generating electricity or producing environmentally friendly materials. There are two types of digesters: the more common mesophillic digestion system that functions at 35 C and thermophillic […] Read more
Remote pump controls beyond cellular reach
Radio remote | Broadcaster One uses digital radio signals to provide instructions and telematics data in the field
WOODSTOCK, Ont. — Liquid manure isn’t the nicest product with which to work and managing the pumps is time consuming. That’s why John Van Lierop felt his customers would appreciate a reliable remote pump engine controller that works in places where cellular coverage wasn’t available or consistent. “In this sort of work, you need something […] Read more
Waste produces softer cattle bedding
Computer system maintains consistency | Separating solids from liquids helps dairy farmers reduce costs and labour
A growing number of dairy farms are investing in manure handling equipment that separates liquids from solids with the goal of reducing costs. Ed Vandenburg, who has a 90-cow operation near Lethbridge, installed a fan separator system this summer that has now been running for just over a week in his new dairy barn. He […] Read more
