Proceedings available at: http://www.extension.org/67721 Manure and compost companies have strived over the years to provide a service to both feedyards and crop producers in the most cost-effective manner possible. Unfortunately, little attention has been given to environmental impacts, by this important segment of the cattle feeding industry. This project, through training and demonstrations, will establish a program to provide for long-term implementation of best management practices (BMP) to be used during the land application of manure or compost. This will give producers a greater assurance that using manure or compost in their nutrient management programs has tremendous benefits and can be applied in a manner that is protective of the environment. Presented by: Kevin Heflin

1. 2
1
34
25ft
Tarp Configuration
Application width 40ft
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
1 2 3 4 5 6
Tons/acre
Compost Application Measurement With Overlap
(Application Rate 2 Tons/Acre)
Avg of Left & Rright Tarp Measurements
Avg of Center Tarp Measurements
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
1 2 3
Tons/acre
Compost Application Measurement With Overlap
(Application Rate 3 Tons/Acre)
Avg of Left & Rright Tarp Measurements
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
Tons/acre
Measured vs Target Application Rate (Raw Manure)
Average 13.3 tons per acre +/- 7 tons per acre (n=18)
Targeted 20 Tons/acre application
Training Manure- and Compost-Spreading Contractors
for the Cattle-Feeding Industry in the Texas Panhandle
• Pen maintenance is
conducted by
feedyard.
• Manure loading is
conducted by
contractors.
• Contractors
haul/spread all
manure & compost.
• Average hauling
distance 5-10 miles.
• Hauling charge
~$0.25 / ton / mile.
• Feedyards provide
haulers with annual
manure nutrient
analysis.
• Feedyards are
uncertain as to level
and type of training
that
haulers/equipment
operators have
received.
• Custom manure/compost haulers will have an enhanced understanding of surface water quality issues related to manure/compost
application, to include bacteria and nutrients.
• Custom manure/compost haulers will have an enhanced understanding of manure application best management practices.
• Operators of manure/compost spreaders will understand the methodologies for field calibration of manure/compost spreading
equipment.
• Materials and trainings available in English and Spanish.
Project Goals
Acknowledgments
environmental knowledge operator training
BMP adoption
Assess
Train
water quality concepts
manure characteristics
sampling technique
spreader calibration
Demonstrate
agronomic rates
nutrient mining
soil-runoff relationships
Promote
manure use
machinery management
soil and manure sampling
nutrient balancing
This project is funded by the U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency through a Section 319(h) water
quality grant administered by the Texas State Soil and
Water Conservation Board.
Project personnel wish also to acknowledge the
numerous landowners who have generously made
their cropland available to us for manure, soil, and
water sampling and for BMP demonstrations.
B. Weinheimer1, B. Auvermann2, P. DeLaune3, K. Heflin2, G. Marek4, and M. Rhoades5
1Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Amarillo, TX; 2Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Amarillo, TX; 3Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Vernon, TX;
4USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Laboratory, Bushland, TX; 5West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX
• Application width and overlap are the primary factors influencing “single” pass
estimates
• Compost spreaders typically spread 40ft in a single-pass with 50% overlap on each
pass
• Measurements from a single pass will be half the targeted application rate
• Compost spreaders use technology to increase the precision of the application.
Technologies include
• GPS assisted steering
• Ground radar for speed control
• Load cells to control compost application rate
Calibrating Compost Spreaders
Step 1. Lay out 28” x 112” tarps in a line with long axis in direction of
spreader travel. The tarps need to start far enough into the field that
the spreader will be discharging at full capacity by the time you reach
the tarps. Use 5-8 tarps for best results. Secure the tarps with heavy
weights.
Step 2. Run the spreader
down the line of tarps, being
careful not to run tires over
them in any way.
Step 3. Approach each tarp with a
good quality fishing scale and a second
tarp for weighing. The second tarp
should be clean and square.
Step 4. Carefully collect
the manure from the
tarp and pour onto the
clean tarp.
Step 5. Collect the corner
grommets and hang them on
the fish scale. Subtract the
tarp weight. Each pound on
the scale is one ton per acre.
Single-Pass Calibration
http://manurespreading.tamu.edu/
Preliminary Survey Results
Measures of Success