This document discusses the use of vegetative treatment systems (VTS) for small and medium livestock operations in Nebraska. It provides statistics on cattle farms in the US and Nebraska to establish that small and medium operations can be economically significant. The document then describes the engineering and costs of a sprinkler VTS system installed at a 150-head cattle operation in Lancaster County, NE. It cost $22,991 to design and install the system to treat runoff from the 1.9 acre feeding area. The document concludes by discussing considerations for properly matching VTS and nutrient management plans to farm operations and climate.

1. Is a Small AFO Big Business and
What About VTS?
Jason Gross
Engineering Technician
University of Nebraska Extension

2. LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSISTANCE PROJECT
Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund
NDEQ (EPA) 319 Non-Point Pollution Program Grant
• Develop and demonstrate new alternative practices for
un-regulated livestock producers though a small cost
share program
• Design and build projects on small and medium livestock
operations under real world conditions.
• Educate Producers and Consultants about using VTS

3. US Cattle Statistics
(National Agricultural Statistics Service 2012)
• 2.2 million farms
• 1.17 million farms with gross revenues at $1 $10,000 (or 1.77 million are less than $100,000
• 145,200 farms with gross revenues at greater than
$500,000
• 729,000 total cattle operations (cows and calves)
• National average gross revenue is $134,800

4. Nebraska Cattle Statistics
(NASS and Nebraska Beef Council 2012)
• 46,800 farms which 20,000 of them raise cows or
calves.
• 10,200 of the have gross revenues of $1 - $10,000
(or 22,400 are less than $100,000)
• 9,800 farms have gross revenues of over $500,000
• Nebraska average farm income is $508,000
(gross)

5. Nebraska Cattle Statistics
(NASS and Nebraska Beef Council 2012)
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6.3 million cows and calves
2.5 million or so on feed
1.9 million cows
1.8 million calves in stocker, grower, or back-grounding
operations
• 760 large CAFO’s (cattle, dairy, and swine)
• Roughly 3,800 small or medium feedlots while most of the
15,000 cow operations have some kind of feeding areas.
• Direct beef sales of $8.6 billion and indirect economic
impact to the state of $12 – 20 billion.

6. So • If a 500 head back-grounding feeding
operation feeds one group of calves (+ $1,000
each) then that operation is one of the top
0.45% of the farm income earners in the
United States.
• So, yes a small or medium AFO is “Big
Business”

7. So how does a VTS fit in these
AFO’s?

8. Sprinkler Vegetative Treatment Systems
(VTS) Advantages
• They are flexible systems that can be economically designed to
match desired application rates and soil infiltration rates
• Feeding area is down gradient of the possible VTA location
• Soil intake rate is too high for a flood application system (sandy
/ loess soils) or too low (very tight clay soils)
• Topography challenges (rolling hills or short slopes)
• Sensitive water table, low AWC of the soil, and many other
reasons
• Uniform application may be a critical design constraint
• Limited space available.
• Usually simpler to design and construct.

9. Case Study of the Lancaster Co Small AFO
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Farm and cow calf operation
Southeast NE near Lincoln (close to urban area)
150 head of cows plus heifers and bulls
1.9 ac feeding area with barns
Has capacity of 240 head of calves
Connection to small tributary

10. Engineering
• Feeding Area 1.9 acres
• 25-year, 24-hour storm = 5.4 inches (runoff = 4.3 in)
• Silty Clay Loam soil with an infiltration rate of 0.2 in/hr and AWHC
of 5.7 in in the top 4 feet
• Dual basin design with capacity of 35,100 cu ft
• Pump powered by a 10 hp diesel engine with a GR 80 series self
priming pump with capacity of 80 gpm @ 140’ TDH
• 30 pod K-Line system in 2 sets of 24 hours each
• Sprinkler application rate is 0.12 in/hr @ 40 psi for a total application
of 2.88 inches
• VTA is 4.0 acres (VTA to feedlot ratio of 2:1)
• NRCS Practice Standards- 632,635,512,634,533,430,442, and 342

11. Before:

15. Searching for
ground water

16. After:

25. Construction Costs
• This project was turn key at $22,991 (or $12,100
per feedlot acre or $95.80 per calf capacity.
• Since 2008 sprinkler VTS range from $6,500 per
feedlot acre to $12,100.
• Pump station is usually near 50% of the systems
cost.
• Multiple basins adds to the cost.
• Can have considerable difference in construction
cost between diesel, gas, and electric power
drives.

26. Things to Ponder
• Sprinkler VTS and NMP must match producer
management style.
• Sprinkler VTS and NMP must match climate (don’t need a
million dollar system in drier climates) Logan county VTS
hasn’t been used in 3 years.
• On Small AFO’s little things can make large impacts on
construction costs.
• Systems must be user friendly in all rain and runoff events
(especially the little ones) Don’t get hung up on the big
events.
• Systems need a low failure rate.

27. •
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VTS Operators Manual
Grass Rooting Monitor
VTS design online videos
Design guides – online
Engineering help on
http://water.unl.edu/web/manure/small-afos
• Feeding Without the Feedlot
(demonstrate the mechanics of
grazing on forages)
Coming
Soon
2014
Questions?
Jason Gross
(308) 865-1594
jason.gross@unl.edu