Alligator Ranch Waste Management

Wastewater from alligator buildings is flushed into a storage pond and irrigated onto adjacent grassland.  The ranch is investigating the use of a lime precipitation system to clarify wastewater before storage.

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"Biovater" Mortality Composter

"Biovator" is the tradename of a patented rotating drum composter specifically designed to dispose of livestock mortalities. Bones and larger pieces passs through the biovator three or more times before they disappear.

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In House Composting of Poultry Litter

Litter is formed into windrows and composted between flocks on this broiler farm. Producer sees improvement in feed conversion and darkling beetle control.

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Litter Bailer

Chicken and Turkey litter is compressed into 3,000 pound bales at a centralized facility. Bales are stable and have been stored for up to eighteen months with little loss of nutrients.

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Mechanical Solids Separator

A mechanical solid separator removes organic solids from flushwater on ta 3,000 head dairy. in Central Texas. Solids are composted in windrows before being reused as bedding in freestall barns.

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Poultry Litter Subsurfer

The Subsurfer is a new manure spreader that injects poultry litter into perennial pastures. Similar to a no-till drill, litter drops into a small slit in the turf. The subsurfer reduces nitrogen losses, odor emissions, and surface runoff.

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Swine Manure Digester

A sow to wean unit digests manure in a covered lagoon. Biogas collected under the impermeable lagoon cover is used to fire two incinerators that handle all the mortalities on the farm.

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Vegetative Treatment System for Small Feedlots

Runoff from a 2 acre feedlot is captured in a sediment basin and pumped uphill to a sprinkler vegetative treatment area. Ratio of VTA to feedlot area is 1.3. Construction cost was $8,000 per feedlot acre, $59 per head-space.

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Weeping Wall

Flushed manure from a 3,500 head dairy passes through a sand trap and two “weeping wall” solids separators. Organic solids are dried and stored in the weeping wall structures before being spread on crop land.