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Alternative Containment Structures for Stockpiling Poultry Litter
Dr. Gary Felton is the PI. The sponsor for this research project is Maryland Department of Agriculture, Conservation Innovation Grant with a funding amount of $ 114,897. The duration of the project is September 2006 - June 2009.
The objective of this project is to demonstrate, evaluate and compare alternative containment structures to accommodate whole house poultry litter clean out from poultry houses. Project will evaluate and compare environmental benefits to water quality and cost effectiveness and systems management changes of three types of structures (pads) to current management practice of on-ground stockpiling. Each structure will be replicated on two dominant soil types using locations in the mid and lower geographic regions of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
This project is a cooperative effort with Caroline County, Dorchester County, Wicomico County, and Somerset County Soil Conservation Districts. Specifically, these structures are various types of pads for whole-house cleanout of poultry litter. Currently, storage sheds are only designed for “crust-out” operations that have approximately 20% of the volume of a whole-house cleanout. Pads are not currently required, but if they are required, we want to have date on water quality impacts, efficiency, cost, and management issues associated with different types of pads.
At this point, it is clear that farmers are very suspicious of clay pads and will not adopt clay willingly or easily. They are accepting of soil cement or standard concrete.
For more information, contact Dr. Gary Felton
Last updated: 04/23/2009
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