Legislation relating to slurry storage coupled with high rainfall is forcing some farmers to make significant investments to manage ever-increasing volumes of slurry. However, Stallkamp is offering a new slurry separator that reduces contaminants, removes solids and offers farmers a way to reduce the volume of storage required.
Stallkamp launched the PSS 2.2-400 ComPress at Agritechnica in 2019 and has now made it available in the UK through slurry specialist Tramspread.
“Storing slurry has been hard for many farmers this winter because rainfall has been so high,” Tramspread’s John Tydeman said. “Separating is a cost-effective way to reduce the overall volume of slurry. It also creates a more manageable solid manure and a better quality liquid slurry that is easier to apply using dribble bars or a trailing shoe.”
The new machine uses a screw pump to suck slurry through a contaminant filter that filters foreign objects such as stones and rubber mat residues. The filtered slurry is then transferred to a separator with either a 0.5mm or 1.0mm screen that extracts the dry matter leaving nutrient rich liquid.
For some farmers the dry matter offers another source of income because it can be sold for arable use. However, most dairy farmers can utilise it as bedding material because it has an estimated 30 per cent dry matter and offers a significant saving.
“The liquid only loses approximately 10 per cent of its N, P and K value, so is still a valuable input for grassland,” Mr Tydemand added. “It also benefits from the filtration process that removes potentially harmful impurities and helps grass to absorb the nutrients more efficiently.”
Legislation demands that all farmers have sufficient facilities to store slurry and poultry manure produced in a yard or building. This applies from October 1 to April 1 for pigs and poultry, and October 1 to March 1 for other liestock operations. Slurry stores must also have the capacity to store all rainfall and any wash water that accumulate during these periods.
“For farmers with fluctuating or increasing herd sizes, abiding by this legislation can be hard,” Mr Tydeman said. “However, a screw press offers a cost-effective way to manage slurry, prevents the immediate need for further storage and provides the best dry and liquid products for farm use.”
For more information visit: www.tramspread.co.uk.
