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Manure Storage andHandling

pathogens and organic particles into the watercycle via surface runoff or leach intogroundwater. In addition to the health andenvironmental concerns listed above, “MountManure” is unsightly.

Regardless of the method of disposal, manurewill have to be stored for some time, so propermanure storage facilities are important.Designing a storage facility and disposal planare essential in any livestock operation. Onceproper manure storage and handling facilitieshave been designed and constructed, they canbe used yearly until the manure is disposed of.

On average, an 1100 pound (500 kg)horse will produce 31 pounds (14 kg) of fecesand 2 to 3 gallons (8-11 litres) of urine per day,plus bedding. The amount of manure that canbuild up over one year from just one horse issubstantial. If you are not careful with manurestorage and handling, “Mount Manure” canbecome a serious management problem.

A poorly managed manure pile can harbourintestinal parasites, provide a breeding groundfor flies and insects and produce objectionableodours. Runoff from improperly stored manurecan quickly become a potential environmentalcontaminate, because it can carry nutrients,

Conquer Mount Manure by having an appropriate manure storage and disposal plan.

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Step 1: Site SelectionSelecting an appropriate location for storingmanure is an important first step in the designand construction process. Be aware that AOPAlegislation provides both permanent and shortterm storage standards that apply to alllivestock production, including horses. Anyonewho handles and stores manure must considersetbacks, water table and flooding areas (Referto AOPA Standards to see what applies to you).

Whether a formal storage facility is planned ora simple free-standing manure pile, severalfactors must be considered when determiningthe location of a storage site:

Protect water sourcesIn Alberta, manure cannot be stored within 330feet (100 meters) of any spring or water well orwithin 100 feet (30 meters) of any open body ofwater. Contamination of surface water,groundwater and any common body of watermust be avoided (Figure 6).

TopographyManure storage facilities should be locatedwhere there is minimal runoff potential toreduce the risk of surface water contamination.Depressed areas, where water tends to pool,should also be avoided for the same reason.

AccessibilityEnsure there is ample room to manoeuvremachinery around the storage area.

AestheticsIf possible, locate manure storage facilities outof sight of and downwind from public places andneighbouring residences.

The AgriculturalOperation PracticesAct (AOPA)As of January 1, 2002, amendments to theAgricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA)brought major changes to livestockmanagement in the province. AOPA isAlberta’s legislation governing new andexpanding confined feeding operations(CFO’s) and is administered and enforcedby the Natural Resources ConservationBoard. AOPA presents managementstandards for manure storage and handling,nutrient management and record keeping.For more information on AOPA and how itpertains to your operation, the AgriculturalOperation Practices Act and associatedRegulations are posted on AlbertaAgriculture, Food and Rural Development’sweb site at www.agric.gov.ab.ca/navigation/livestock/cfo/index.html; click on Acts andRegulations under Categories. The Act andRegulations can also be printed from theweb site. Questions can be directed to:cfoinfo@gov.ab.ca.

Figure 6. Unmanaged manure piles attract weeds and have the potential to contaminate surface orgroundwater.

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Step 2: Design andLayoutThe design of any manure storage and handlingfacility will depend on the following factors:

1) Volume of manure producedThe number of horses, the type of feed andthe type and amount of bedding used willdetermine the amount of manure producedin each operation. The density of horsemanure (urine + feces) is 63 lb/ft3

(or 1 tonne/m3). So, 51 pounds of manurewould occupy 0.81 cubic feet or 22 litres. Theaddition of bedding can easily double ortriple this volume. The volume may also varydepending on the management practices.

2) Length of storageLength of storage will depend on theintended use of the manure. For example, ifthe manure is to be used as a fertilizer,storage facilities must be able to store all themanure until the appropriate time ofapplication, which can be up to six months ormore. As a general rule, the longer theintended storage time, the larger the storagefacility required.

Large horse boarding operations (10 or morehorses) with insufficient land base availablefor the use of all the waste produced wouldbenefit from a permanent storage facility.Conversely, smaller operations (less then 10horses) with sufficient land base available formanure application may store manure as afree-standing manure pile, rather thanbuilding a formal storage facility.

Example:To determine the daily volume of wasteproduced:

a) Multiply 0.92 ft3 (26 litres) times the numberof horses on your farm. Remember to adjustupwards if bedding is included. (e.g. 1 partmanure: 1 part bedding = 1.8 ft3/horse/day.)

b) Then multiply the daily volume times thenumber of days the manure is to be stored.

c) Take the cubed root of the total storagevolume required and work from there todetermine suitable dimensions.

Figure 7. Calculation tip: count the number ofwheelbarrow loads collected each day, and multiplyby the estimated volume of each load to determinethe volume of waste produced.

.1elbaT .noitareporuoyrofnoitaluclacezisnibelpmaxE

noitaluclaC lairepmI cirteM

)a detaluclacemulovetsaW tf4.2 3 sesroh6xyad/esroh/tf4.41= 3 yad/

sesroh6xyad/esroh/L66m04.0royad/L693= 3

)b deriuqeRegarotStf4.41 3 syad021xyad/

tf8271= 3m04.0 3 syad021xyad/m84= 3

)c eziSniBhtdiwxthgiehxhtgnel=emuloV tf8271 3 tf6xtf71xtf71= m84 3 m3.1xm6xm6=

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Step 3: ConstructionOnce the location of the manure storage areahas been selected and a design determined,construction can begin. The type of materialused in the construction is an importantconsideration. Choosing appropriate flooringmaterial should not be overlooked, as properflooring will prevent contaminants fromleaching into groundwater. A concrete slab orwell-compacted soils high in clay, but low insand or gravel, are suitable flooring materials.Concrete, tightly fitted wood planks or cinderblocks can be used for constructing walls.Storage facilities that have walls will contain themanure pile and will facilitate the use ofequipment necessary to handle the manure.

Constructing a roof or covering the manure pilewith a tarpaulin or heavy plastic will reducerunoff and seepage from the storage area.Leaving the storage area open may be suitablein some low precipitation regions of Alberta,but this approach is not recommended.Covering the pile will reduce the risk ofproducing contaminated runoff. If, however,contaminated runoff becomes an issue:

• collect and contain the runoff by constructinga catch basin

• filter through a serpentine grassed waterway,grassed or treed filter strip

• disperse on cropland

Manure StorageOptions• three-walled structure with roof or tarp

cover (Figure 8)

• covered or enclosed truck bed or manurespreader (Figure 9)

• covered dumpsters

• covered, free-standing manure piles

Figure 9.

Figure 8. Three-walled structure contains the manure and can easily be covered with a tarp.

Keep ittogether

Manure needs to bekept together topreventcontaminates fromthe manure fromleaching intogroundwater. Free-standing manurepiles should beconstructed on top ofa concrete pad orheavy clay soil. Inaddition, considercovering the pilewith a tarp andberming the storagearea to divert cleanrunoff and to containcontaminated runoff.

Alberta Agriculture,Food and RuralDevelopment(AAFRD) has severalplans available forconstructing suitablemanure storage andhandling facilities.For moreinformation, pleasecontact the AgtechCentre, 3000 CollegeDrive South,Lethbridge, AB,T1K 1L6.

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TheBottomLine• Horses produce large

amounts of manure.

• Site selection of a manurestorage facility is important and must complywith the Agricultural Operation Practices Act(AOPA) standards and regulations.

• The design and construction of a manurestorage facility depends on the volume ofmanure produced and the storage period.

• Storage should be considered a temporarysolution for handling manure, becauseeventually, the manure needs to be disposedof.

• Manure storage facility construction mustcomply with the Agricultural OperationPractices Act.

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