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Managing Lagoons & Waste

By Lianne Derocco


Hog farms obviously need some mechanism for dealing with animal waste and oftentimes that is in the form of an anaerobic lagoon. Also known as a manure lagoon, this man-made basin is where animals waste is collected and treated.

Lagoons require very large land spaces to ensure not only that you have the proper and require distances between the lagoon and other buildings, but also because larger lagoons tend to have fewer environmental problems. It is also important that you build a lagoon that is eight feet deep or even deeper, as this improves digestion and decreases problems caused by excess surface oxygen.

Lagoons have the benefit of being fairly easy to build and relatively inexpensive to maintain, however they do pose health hazards to your workers, your animals and the surrounding community if they are not maintained properly. These include the emission of highly toxic fumes such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and methane gas. You must also ensure that no waste escapes from your lagoon, either spilling over the top or seeping out through leaks in the depths of the lagoon. This can spread pathogens such as salmonella and E. coli, which can be deadly. In addition it is wise to limit access to the lagoon in general.

There are two separate layers in a hog lagoon. The sludge layer is the sediment that comes from the manure. The liquid layer still contains substances, such as grease and scum, but is less dense. You need to make sure that the surface is properly aerated to keep crusting at bay.

This lagoon maintenance can be made easier with a natural product such as the AgraSphereLGT. This product includes six biodegradable spheres that will treat up to 400,000 gallons of waste. The product will activate the liquefaction of solids, improve the nutrient value of your manure and even reduce odors and the amount of flies. Not only are the spheres biodegradable, they contain no chemicals and are safe for the environment. No mixing is required, you simply toss in the spheres and they begin to work. It is recommended that you place two-thirds of your spheres in areas where the most solids have accumulated and then scatter the remaining spheres here and there in your lagoon.

Top-level crusting is a common and serious problem with lagoon waste systems, so if you are battling this issue, consider adding ActivatorPlusLGT in addition to the spheres. These bags are filled with a blend of microbes that will eat away at the crust and restore balance to the lagoon system. Simply scatter the contains over the top of the lagoon and re-apply, as needed. It is a good idea after you treat the first time to repeat the treatment a month later. If crusting is particularly bad, you can re-treat in 7 to 10 days and keep treating until the crusting is gone. After that, consider using this product about every three months for the best results.




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