Dust and Particulate Control
for Animal Housing Systems with Dry Manure - Open Lot Maintenance
| Pro |
Con |
| Improved animal health |
Time to clean lots frequently and thoroughly |
Dust emissions from open feedlots are controlled primarily by
moisture content of the feedlot surface. Dust is the predominant
problem at low moisture content. However, because at high moisture
content odor can also be a problem, it is impossible to minimize
dust and odor by moisture management alone. Researchers have found
that when the moisture content of the open lot surface is between
25 and 40 percent, both dust and odor potentials are at manageable
levels. To reach the optimum range, open lots must be designed
to reduce the ponding of water on the lot as well as the buildup
of manure along fence lines and bunk areas.
Beyond design, maintenance of lots will also help control dust.
The key is to keep the lot surface hard, smooth, as dry as possible,
and with a firm 1 to 2-inch base of compacted manure above the
mineral soil. In flat feedlots or where rainfall is plentiful,
an interval of 120 days or more between manure removal activities
will almost certainly lead to lot conditions that generate odor.
In Texas , a few modern, large feedlots (capacity greater than
35,000 head) have experimented with continuously harvesting the
manure across the yard with two or three tractors with box scrapers,
even with cattle present. Lot conditions are excellent, and managers
report little to no depression in feed-to-gain performance or increased
cattle stress.
Solid-set sprinkler systems are an effective but expensive means
of dust control in cattle feedlots. Research in California showed
that dust concentrations in interior lots increased 850 percent after
sprinkler operation had stopped for two days. Sprinkler systems require
site-specific design based on seasonal water balance calculations,
but in general, systems should have sufficient capacity to deliver
0.25 inch or more of water per day across the entire yard. Sprinkler
patterns should overlap by 50 percent of the diameter of throw, and
sprinklers should be located so that their throw does not extend
all the way to the feed apron. Extension Publications
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