The Rural Voice, 2002-03, Page 31in drier areas.
Still, even with the addition of the
huge volume of straw, there was 58
per cent Tess manure to be taken out
of the barn than there would have
been from liquid manure alone from
the same number of pigs, Fleming
said. The final moisture content was
61 per cent.
On the cost side of the equation,
the Millers estimate it cost them an
additional 10 per cent in original
construction costs for such things as
installation of the aeration system
and fans and the door from the
storage area to outside. There was
also the cost of a sump pump to drain
any moisture that went through the
straw and into the aeration pipes in
the floor.
On an ongoing basis, there's the
cost of running the aeration fans
continuously, plus the operation costs
of the sump pump and the cost of the
straw (the Millers had their own) and
labour to spread the manure. For a
farmer not set up to handle dry
material there would also be the cost
of additional spreading machinery.
On the other hand there are
savings in not having to buy
liquid manure handling
equipment, spreaders and pumps and
the labour to operate them. There's
the reduction of manure volume,
thereby reducing transportation costs.
There's the ability to further compost
the manure once it's been removed
from the barn, thus eliminating
odours and pathogens and destroying
weed seeds.
Fleming speculates that the
improved environment in the barn
should reduce veterinarian costs as
well as providing an improved
working environment for herd
workers. There's also a possibility of
improved pig performance. (The
Millers brought in 32 kg. (70 pound)
pigs and shipped at 109 kg. (240
pounds) with the pigs being in the
barn 90 to 100 days.)
Feed conversion and average daily
gain were similar to a conventional
barn but water use was significantly
lower.
Another advantage, Fleming says,
is much greater flexibility in
choosing when to spread manure.
In short, the barn has met
expectations of the Millers, Fleming
says.0
J,
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Phone/Fax: (519) 482-7971
1-800-320-0666
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Highway 4 South
P.O. Box 1471
Clinton, Ont. NOM 1L0
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MARCH 2002 27