ManureMagic® reduces sludge in swine farm lagoon by 42%

Overview

  • 42% reduction in sludge levels in 4 months
  • Eliminated the need for pit jetting
  • Eliminated solids mounding and buildup

A large hog producer with pull-plug manure pits at a grow-to-finish farm was facing challenges with the time and expense required to clean pits and the subsequent buildup of solids in their manure lagoon.

The plant manager was skeptical and agreed to trial ManureMagic only if we compared two similar lagoons. The manager selected two of his worst lagoons for the trial. Both were the same size, contained approximately the same amount of sludge, and were fed by the same type of hogs. Each lagoon was 7-million gallons and was fed by four 1,000-head barns. Each barn’s plug was pulled once a week in a rotating order.

Five pails (125 pounds) of ManureMagic was applied to the test lagoon in May. Another 50 pounds were also applied to the barns’ pull-plug pits over the course of four months. Within two weeks, the farm staff noticed a positive difference in the cleaning of the pits. Cleaning took less time, the manure was much more uniform and flowable, and there was no need for jetting of the piles.

Lagoon sludge levels were measured at the same nine locations in each lagoon in June and in September. Within the first month, lagoon levels in the ManureMagic lagoon were down 10%, with each point falling between 6 inches and a foot. By the end of the trial three months later, lagoon levels in the ManureMagic lagoon were on average 42% lower, with individual levels dropping between 18” to 30”.

Over the same period of time, the control lagoon did not change at all. 

In addition to the H2S and associated odor reduction, the operator noted the manure had better flowability and less crust formation. They were so impressed with ManureMagic, they drafted a plan to expand its use to more company's facilities.