Slurry Conditioner / Enhancer

john8984

Like to know if anyone has experience of using any of the Slurry Conditioner / Enhancer products available in their slurry tanks over the past few years.
I have come across two different products (ie. 1 kg tub in powder form) recently by different companies. There is a huge difference in price. One is €60.00 per tub, the other is €160.00 per tub, both the same size and weight of tub.
Wondering what the difference is and if these products actually make a difference and which one is best , if any. There is also a product available from Grassland Agro in a 25 kg bag also a slurry conditioner.
Would like to hear from anyone who has used these products or anyone who knows of them and what benefits you got from them.

agriman27

A neighbour of mine used it for a few years, he says the slurry never really settles as the bacteria keeps breaking it down. He told me recently he didn't use it last winter and it took him twice as long to agitate his cubicle shed without the powder. He reckons he easily saves it on diesel and he finds it handy when capacity gets tight its easy to agitate to move a few load elsewhere isn't as big a job. I don't know the name of the stuff but I know its expensive

Reggie.

agriman27 wrote: »

A neighbour of mine used it for a few years, he says the slurry never really settles as the bacteria keeps breaking it down. He told me recently he didn't use it last winter and it took him twice as long to agitate his cubicle shed without the powder. He reckons he easily saves it on diesel and he finds it handy when capacity gets tight its easy to agitate to move a few load elsewhere isn't as big a job. I don't know the name of the stuff but I know its expensive

Always thought they were a bit of a gimmick

F.D

is there any reports from the dept of ag, or teagasc on these bug or trials done that could be checked out,

Cattlepen

I used it. To be honest I think it's snake oil. I couldn't see any difference. As for claims that it can up nitrogen, thats impossible!! Slurry is slurry

conor t

Cattlepen wrote: »

I used it. To be honest I think it's snake oil. I couldn't see any difference. As for claims that it can up nitrogen, thats impossible!! Slurry is slurry

Depends what the active ingredient is, there are chemicals that will reduce the amount of denitrification. But can't comment on any of the products, all straw bedded here

ganmo

Cattlepen wrote: »

I used it. To be honest I think it's snake oil. I couldn't see any difference. As for claims that it can up nitrogen, thats impossible!! Slurry is slurry

True nothing can't up N but can change it ammonia/urea N to other forms of N that are slower to breakdown in the soil giving better N utilisation

knockmulliner

I used one of these additives last year, easier to agitate, no crust formed so risk of hydrogen sulphide build up reduced if not eliminated, no settlement for a long time after agitation so suits spreading on paddocks after grazing giving better nitrogen use.

Reggie.

knockmulliner wrote: »

I used one of these additives last year, easier to agitate, no crust formed so risk of hydrogen sulphide build up reduced if not eliminated, no settlement for a long time after agitation so suits spreading on paddocks after grazing giving better nitrogen use.

It reduced the slurry gas did it

knockmulliner

No crust so no build up of gas, reduced risk when agitating. I use a trailing shoe, no blockages and very little smell.

Reggie.

knockmulliner wrote: »

No crust so no build up of gas, reduced risk when agitating. I use a trailing shoe, no blockages and very little smell.

Be worth it for that alone

C0N0R

They don't increase the amount of N in the slurry just help utilize it better. If there is less smell with slurry then your not losing as much N.

Upstream

knockmulliner wrote: »

No crust so no build up of gas, reduced risk when agitating. I use a trailing shoe, no blockages and very little smell.

Sounds like you'll be using it again, what one did you go for?

frazzledhome

Have ye completely lost the plot? Salesman tells ye I have a bag of stuff that you buy, chuck into slurry and it improves it. Lads ye must be salesmens dreams. Slurry is slurry and N uptake is all about timing and conditions at application.

Lock your gate and keep the parasites out of the place

Reggie.

frazzledhome wrote: »

Have ye completely lost the plot? Salesman tells ye I have a bag of stuff that you buy, chuck into slurry and it improves it. Lads ye must be salesmens dreams. Slurry is slurry and N uptake is all about timing and conditions at application.

Lock your gate and keep the parasites out of the place

Did ya miss your morning coffee frazzled

conor t

frazzledhome wrote: »

Have ye completely lost the plot? Salesman tells ye I have a bag of stuff that you buy, chuck into slurry and it improves it. Lads ye must be salesmens dreams. Slurry is slurry and N uptake is all about timing and conditions at application.

Lock your gate and keep the parasites out of the place

Don't forget how its applied, splashplate will lose 70% of n during spreading compared to bout 15-20% for trailing shoe

knockmulliner

frazzledhome wrote: »

Have ye completely lost the plot? Salesman tells ye I have a bag of stuff that you buy, chuck into slurry and it improves it. Lads ye must be salesmens dreams. Slurry is slurry and N uptake is all about timing and conditions at application.

Lock your gate and keep the parasites out of the place

Read my first post in this thread. It gives you my observed experiences of the product, not a sales speel. I will be using an additive again.

knockmulliner

Upstream wrote: »

Sounds like you'll be using it again, what one did you go for?

Product called slurry more from glenside

Cattlepen

frazzledhome wrote: »

Have ye completely lost the plot? Salesman tells ye I have a bag of stuff that you buy, chuck into slurry and it improves it. Lads ye must be salesmens dreams. Slurry is slurry and N uptake is all about timing and conditions at application.

Lock your gate and keep the parasites out of the place

Have to agree. Tried products one year. No difference in slurry. Salesman told me I did it incorrectly. So I followed instruction to a tee. Still no difference. Maybe I didn't say abracadabra or enough hail Mary's but the stuff is a joke. My teagasc man fell around laughing And told me to be on the lookout for a lad going around swooping magic beans for cows!!!. They are rubbish. Another one I looked at was 98% limestone!!

ganmo

The nerd in me warts to know wat is the science behind their claims