The Rural Voice, 1999-08, Page 48A baker's dozen
rules of manure
spreading etiquette
By Hugh W. Fraser
Agricultural Engineer, OMAFRA
Neighbours may know you have
to spread manure, but that doesn't
mean they like it. Neighbours are
usually tolerant of manure odours, as
long as you seem to be doing all you
can to minimize the disruption of
their lives.
Tri not to "surprise" the neighbours
about your manure spreading plans.
A simple phone call a few days ahead
to let. the neighbours know when
spreading will start and finish, is
much better than letting them find
out when the smell starts to creep in
their windows. They can make
arrangements to be away, and they
tend to feel less helpless about their
situation.
Spread during weekly working hours
and not during weekends (especially
holiday weekends). Most rural, non -
farmers have weekends off.
Spreading manure during a weekend
party or BBQ is sure to spark a
reaction . Avoid spreading on hot,
sultry days when there is little air
movement. The hot, humid, still days
of summer tend to generate the most
complaints around manure spreading.
Spread fewer times per year. If you
don't have enough manure storage
capacity, you may have to spread
frequently. Neighbours are less likely
to complain if you spread once per
year over five days, than five times
per year for a day each time.
Keep the wind direction in mind
when spreading. You can't control
the wind direction, but try to keep it
in mind, especially when you are
spreading near a neighbouring house.
Liquid manure smells more than
solid manure, so stay further from
neighbouring houses. Most will agree
that liquid manure tends to smell
worse than solid manure, so it is a
good idea to stay further away from
your neighbour's houses when
irrigating or spreading liquid manure.
The higher you fling it, the further
you should be away from
neighbouring houses. Irrigation of
44 THE RURAL VOICE
Advice
liquid manure using high-pressure
guns, tends to generate more
complaints than any other application
method. The manure is shot high in
the air and the resulting fine droplets
(and odour) become airborne and
carry further. Also, people tend to
"smell with their eyes", and the jet of
manure from the irrigation guns gets
their attention. Systems that spread or
irrigate the manure close to the
ground are usually less offensive.
If you don't incorporate the manure
within 24 hours, stay further from
neighbouring houses. Incorporating
your manure within 24 hours of
spreading is recommended. It not
only makes better use of the manure,
but cuts down on odours, and reduces
the risk of runoff during a rain.
Incorporating liquid manure at the
time of spreading is even better.
Manure that may create a fly
problem should be spread further
from neighbouring houses.
Occasionally, flies become a
nuisance for neighbours after
spreading manure near their homes.
If you suspect that the manure may
contain fly maggots, try to keep that
manure further from your
neighbours' houses.
Never take your neighbours'
complaints about odour or flies
lightly. Small problems turn into big
problems if you do not take your
neighbours' concerns seriously. It is
normal farm practice to spread
manure on your cropland, but what's
normal and what makes for good
neighbours are not always the same
thing. Obviously, there are many
things that are out of your control
when you spread manure, such as
weather, wind direction, and when
custom applicators are available.
However, demonstrating to your
neighbours that you are trying your
best to address their concerns will go
a long way to reducing complaints.
Do not assume all complaints come
from non -farmers. Neighbouring
farmers may or may not have any
manure of their own to deal with.
Although farm neighbours are
usually pretty understanding about
manure odours, they may not be
sympathetic if they think that you are
not doing as good a job as they think
you should.
What is a temporary manure storage
to you will not be temporary to your
neighbours. Because of the nature of
the poultry industry, much manure is
trucked directly from barns to
neighbouring properties for future
spreading. These "temporary"
storages can create a lot of hard
feelings with neighbours because
they are usually near the road and
may sit for extended periods. The
manure in these temporary storages
should be used shortly after
placement, and should not sit in one
spot for months on end.0
How to determine the
dollar value
of forages
By Doug Dickie, Beef Cattle
Specialist, Markdale OMAFRA
This is the time of year when most
of the surplus forage whether hay,
baleage, or other forages are bought
and sold. Forages are by far the most
variable feeds in quality as well as
package size. There are small square
bales, large square bales, and in
rounds there are four by fours, four
by fives, five by sixes, some are soft
core bales, some hard core bales. As
well some hay is stored outside some
inside. Some baleage is wrapped in
individual wraps; some are in long
tubes or long wraps.
To complicate things further, we
have first cut hay, second cut, third
cut and sometimes fourth cut hay,
which may be all legume, all grass,
or mixtures of the two cut at various
stages of maturity.
When someone asks what's hay
worth, the answer is not easy to
provide. Hay usually is bought and
sold within a 30 kilometer range of
home.
Where to start? Feed analyses is
an excellent place to start.
Determining dry matter, crude
protein, acid detergent fibre (gives an
energy value) and the relative feed
value can all be used to market
forage based on the nutrient value.
Good quality forages can be best
used in the dairy sector and growing
rations for beef cattle. Dry and