Reps Manure Holding Requirements

geraghtygirl

Hi everyone, I am posting this for my brother who has recently joined Reps and has a requirement for a Dungstead. He has been told that this must be a very complicated construction - by the guy who was to construct it. Does anyone know what the requirements actually are? Any help you could give would be great. Thanks.

vanderbadger

dont think its complicated at all but I could be wrong, think so long as its a concrete base and there is a drain or gulley to direct runoff towards tank you are in business, alot of people still have a dung heap in the corner of the field so not sure how much they actually enforce this anyway

the al kid

Afaik you can store cattle dung in field only during your particular" open period" for slurry spreading-in other words you cant overwinter a heap of dung.Additional requirements as regards siting of same in relation to slope of ground,proximity ofwatercourses,wells and open ditches.If you are storing on a pad you are required to have an effluent collection system.Your REPS planner should be involved in this as your plan may have to be ammended.

Best of luck with it

Al

geraghtygirl

Thanks for those answers, but I am looking for the minimum requirements for this - they guy to construct it seemed to think that the Taj Mahal is required. Surely this can be done with some concrete and blocks.

adne

I think how you handle the run off is the important part...

reilig

We have to put one up beside a shed for REPS 4. According to the planner, it has to be large enough to store a full winter's manure. It has to be covered to prevent rain from getting on it. It has to have walls around it on 3 sides. It has to have a solid concrete floor tied into the walls to prevent effluent escape. Finally, it has to have a closed drain running from it to the slatted tank or other holding tank for effluent. An open drain or gully running between the manure pit and the tank will not be acceptable as it would allow rain water to mix with the effluent.

Hope this info helps.

snowman707

reilig wrote: »

We have to put one up beside a shed for REPS 4. According to the planner, it has to be large enough to store a full winter's manure. It has to be covered to prevent rain from getting on it. It has to have walls around it on 3 sides. It has to have a solid concrete floor tied into the walls to prevent effluent escape. Finally, it has to have a closed drain running from it to the slatted tank or other holding tank for effluent. An open drain or gully running between the manure pit and the tank will not be acceptable as it would allow rain water to mix with the effluent.

Hope this info helps.

is the effluent classed as soiled water or as slurry?

if soiled water means you can spread all year round, otherwise you must adhere to the dept's dates.

reilig

snowman707 wrote: »

is the effluent classed as soiled water or as slurry?

if soiled water means you can spread all year round, otherwise you must adhere to the dept's dates.

I assume it is classed as slurry seeing as it comes from the manure which is placed in the dungsted.

blue5000

Hi,
tell the brother to ask his reps planner what his closed dates for dung spreading are. Depending on where the farm is, these dates will be around end Nov to mid Jan. If he has a silage slab there should be effluent channels to a tank for the effluent. He should be able to store dung on the silage slab during the closed period when some silage has been fed. From mid Jan to end Nov he is allowed to stack dung in a field, away from rivers etc.:)

agcons

The specs for a dungstead can be found at this site. http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmerschemespayments/farmbuildings/

He should talk to his planner about dimensions etc and whether or nor he needs an effluent/soiled water tank with it.
Its a basic building job for anyone used to working on farm bulidings.

geraghtygirl

Thanks everyone, your replies are great.;)

nashmach

reilig wrote: »

We have to put one up beside a shed for REPS 4. According to the planner, it has to be large enough to store a full winter's manure. It has to be covered to prevent rain from getting on it. It has to have walls around it on 3 sides. It has to have a solid concrete floor tied into the walls to prevent effluent escape. Finally, it has to have a closed drain running from it to the slatted tank or other holding tank for effluent. An open drain or gully running between the manure pit and the tank will not be acceptable as it would allow rain water to mix with the effluent.

Hope this info helps.

I know this is an old post but is this correct.

My read of the specs is no mention of the number of walls (in fact can be none) but really you need two. If no walls, then you need a channel all around.

It only needs to be big enough for the storage period really depending on your zone as you can also use your shed as a storage facility.

Doesn't have to be covered but allowance needs to be made for the rainfall.

Hope this is correct but perhaps someone can clarify if I am wrong!

Currently looking into this for 2013:o

bob charles

nashmach wrote: »

I know this is an old post but is this correct.

My read of the specs is no mention of the number of walls (in fact can be none) but really you need two. If no walls, then you need a channel all around.

It only needs to be big enough for the storage period really depending on your zone as you can also use your shed as a storage facility.

Doesn't have to be covered but allowance needs to be made for the rainfall.

Hope this is correct but perhaps someone can clarify if I am wrong!

Currently looking into this for 2013:o

Aslong as you are collecting the runoff they can do jack ****e about it so, there is no problems what sort of construction you choose. So you can have a flat slab of concrete with channels all round but you will have to have a take able to collect the seepage fraction, (in your nitrates manual Nash) and also collect the rainfall (size of slab multiplied by no of week and rainfall). this seepage is considered slurry so you need the 18 weeks storage depending on zone. Alternatively you could sheet over the heap of dung and divert the rainfall off the slab as clean water so you would only have to collect the seepage fraction. depending on location and tidyness a flat slab would be best as you could have other uses while dung isnt stored on it. Alternatively you can have all your closed period storage under the cattle in the houses themselves. What they will then do if they think you are taking the piss is to go and make sure you are abiding but animal welfare laws and ensure each animal has adequate space in the bedding area

nashmach

bob charles wrote: »

Aslong as you are collecting the runoff they can do jack ****e about it so, there is no problems what sort of construction you choose. So you can have a flat slab of concrete with channels all round but you will have to have a take able to collect the seepage fraction, (in your nitrates manual Nash) and also collect the rainfall (size of slab multiplied by no of week and rainfall). this seepage is considered slurry so you need the 18 weeks storage depending on zone. Alternatively you could sheet over the heap of dung and divert the rainfall off the slab as clean water so you would only have to collect the seepage fraction. depending on location and tidyness a flat slab would be best as you could have other uses while dung isnt stored on it. Alternatively you can have all your closed period storage under the cattle in the houses themselves. What they will then do if they think you are taking the piss is to go and make sure you are abiding but animal welfare laws and ensure each animal has adequate space in the bedding area

Thanks Bob.

We are doing the latter at the moment and it is bit of an issue with stock nearly looking out over barriers :rolleyes:

I wouldn't like to hold down a plastic sheet near here

Plus, not a fan of spreading fresh dung, it is better composted a little anyway.

bob charles

nashmach wrote: »

Thanks Bob.

We are doing the latter at the moment and it is bit of an issue with stock nearly looking out over barriers :rolleyes:

I wouldn't like to hold down a plastic sheet near here

Plus, not a fan of spreading fresh dung, it is better composted a little anyway.

The roof is getting close to the animals heads in a couple of leantos we bed cattle in, sheeting would be a pain. All you would really need is a dungstead to hold one or two cleaning outs of your current sheds as once you hit the 15th of Jan it can be heaped in a field. Composting is all well and good but it doesnt cover the costs of the work involved as it entails an extra few handlings. spread straight from the sheds is my prefered option even though I dont get the benefit of aerobic composted dung. but time is money:D

hugo29

geraghtygirl wrote: »

Thanks for those answers, but I am looking for the minimum requirements for this - they guy to construct it seemed to think that the Taj Mahal is required. Surely this can be done with some concrete and blocks.

Geraghtygirl cost depends on size but a Concrete base on blinded hardcore drain to tank, 3 block walls and covered roof, far from complicated you can actually store it in your garden with no regulations or so I am told

bob charles

hugo29 wrote: »

you can actually store it in your garden with no regulations or so I am told

unfortunately you wouldnt be able to see my house if we stored all the dung in the garden, one way of keeping the Jehovah's out I suppose

blue5000

But bob think of all the other things you could hide in the heap of dung too:D

bob charles

blue5000 wrote: »

But bob think of all the other things you could hide in the heap of dung too:D

im lost, your thinking is way over my head:rolleyes:

blue5000

bob charles wrote: »

im lost, your thinking is way over my head:rolleyes:

Used engine oil filters, bale wraps, polyethene, illegal (cheap) corn sprays from N ireland, ivomec from brazil.......the list is endless.

bob charles

blue5000 wrote: »

Used engine oil filters, bale wraps, polyethene, illegal (cheap) corn sprays from N ireland, ivomec from brazil.......the list is endless.

I will have you know im an upstanding citizen, not some fly by night operator. on saying that,I do most of my work during darkness

nashmach

hugo29 wrote: »

Geraghtygirl cost depends on size but a Concrete base on blinded hardcore drain to tank, 3 block walls and covered roof, far from complicated you can actually store it in your garden with no regulations or so I am told

Can't be block walls - has to be mass concrete - and you don't need three - in fact you don't need any at all.

Roof is optional but if none you need to allow for it for the runoff storage.

My read of the Department specs.

td5man

blue5000 wrote: »

Used engine oil filters, bale wraps, polyethene, illegal (cheap) corn sprays from N ireland, ivomec from brazil.......the list is endless.

Neighbour had a stack of straw go on fire and a lot of cattle got burnt in it too or at least their brass tags did, don't know if it sorted out his cmms irregularities.
Poor cattle must have been cold because they jumped out of their sheds in the middle of the night when there was no one around and walked into the middle of the blazing stack of straw that was some distance away from the yard.