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FABE

Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

CFAES

Manure Management

Manure Management

Amanda Douridas

  • Manure application research
  • Educational program development
  • Resource development
  • More information: http://oema.osu.edu/

Summary:  Educational program designed to meet the needs of farmers and advisers in managing manure to enhance crop production and protect the environment.

Situation:  Animal waste management remains a major issue for livestock producers and government agency people entrusted to protect the environment.

Response:  OCAMM program in FABE, collaborated with OSU Extension, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Ohio Department of Agriculture to develop the 2011 Manure Science Review program. To ensure meaningful programming, the MSR Committee collaborated relevant entities to provide continuing education credits for:  (1) Certified Livestock Managers (CLM), 5.5 continuing education hours for 11 CLMs;  (2) Certified Crop Consultants (CCA), 5.5 continuing education units for 13 CCA’s; and (3) Professional Engineers (PE), 5.5 professional development hours for 16 PE’s. This event provided a morning classroom session in which speakers focused on best practices for handling manure, including utilizing manure solids for bedding, evaluating fields and applying manure to prevent nutrient losses, and providing insights on manure technologies.  The afternoon session included educational on-farm demonstrations on preferential flow, solid/liquid separation, re-use of milk house wastewater, and Manure application setbacks.

Impact:  The ninth annual Manure Science Review, held at the Winner Dairy in DeGraff, OH, was attended by 135 people. Of the participants who responded to the program evaluation, 31% were livestock producers, 11% crop consultants, 32% public agency, and 26% other, including manure applicators, students, as well as industry and environmental representatives