Solids Removal From Livestock Manure Lagoons (1994)

Abstract

Excessive solids buildup in livestock manure lagoons is generally due to manure or non-manure materials which cannot be degraded or broken down by the bacteria in the lagoon. Some solids accumulation, which usually occurs as a relatively uniform layer of "mineralized," digested manure at the lagoon bottom, is normal in properly operating lagoons. If manure entering the lagoon has a small particle size, and is relatively highly degradable by bacteria, then the solids accumulation is usually not excessive. Manure from confinement swine operations has these characteristics. So, the solids buildup in properly sized hog lagoons is not usually excessive. However, swine lagoons which are undersized, or have become undersized due to expansion, may experience excessive solids buildup because of reduced bacterial activity.