dairy manure Sand separation
Why is separation of sand and manure needed?
Sand is the principle bedding used in free stall dairy cattle housing, and remains the bedding of choice among dairy producers and veterinarians. Properly separated bedding sand contains minimal organic matter. Mastitis causing organisms require food (carbon source), water, and heat to thrive and survive. Less organic matter translates to less moisture. In addition to the biological advantage offered by sand, there are physical attributes as well. The cushion surface offered by sand reduces stress on knees and joints, and offers sure footing when moving about free stall alleys.
Sand mixed with manure complicates manure handling by making manure difficult to agitate, pump, and land apply. Sand bedding used in dairy cattle free stalls become mixed with manure as it is scraped and removed from the free stall barn alley ways. Sand manure separation technology uses separation equipment to wash the manure from the sand prior to depositing manure into storage.
Sand in the manure system inflicts havoc on manure handling equipment, causing it to wear down and break down more often. A dairy cow kicks approximately 50 lbs. of sand into the free stall alley where it mixes with 115 lbs. of manure, producing 165 lbs. of sand-laden manure daily. Multiply 165 lbs. by 300 cows, and you've got 49,500 lbs. of sand and manure to deal with. Before that sizable pile of sand reaches long-term storage, why not salvage the sand? Here's where the sand separator comes into the picture.
A sand separator won't recover all the sand passing through it, but it can be capable of recovering approximately 90%-95% of the sand, with the right systems in place. For example, if 50 lbs. of sand is taken from the free stall, you can expect the separator to spit out approximately 45 to 47.5 lbs. of clean sand that you can toss back into the free stall saving on bedding costs.
This is where Tracey's Farm Services expertise in this field comes into play. Established in 2009, we have the Equipment, Experience, and Knowledge to help you make the decision that is best for you and your needs.
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