Managing Animal Wastes

Before Completing Your Self-Assessment
This animal waste management self-assessment is an important part of the Farm-A-Syst program. This voluntary program helps you evaluate activities and conditions on your farm that could be a threat to your drinking water and to water quality in nearby lakes or streams. This introductory information will help you understand the importance of managing animal wastes, from water quality, health, and environmental perspectives. Read it carefully before completing this self-assessment.
This self-assessment is one in a series of voluntary environmental self-assessments in the Farm-A-Syst program. For a complete picture of all activities or conditions on your farm that could affect water quality, review and complete the other Farm-A-Syst environmental self-assessments available from the Extension Energy Center. You also are encouraged to review and complete other self-assessments in the companion Home-A-Syst program, available at your county Extension office.

Your responses to this self-assessment are for your use. Although completing this self-assessment is voluntary, taking a few minutes to respond to it may help you identify potential areas on your farm that could lead to water quality problems. You may find it useful to involve your spouse and/or children in completing your self-assessment. If you need other help or follow-up information, contact your county Extension office.


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Why You Should Be Concerned About Animal Wastes
If not managed properly, animal wastes from concentrated hog, beef, dairy, and poultry operations can affect your health, water quality, and the water quality and health of others. Bacteria in animal wastes can contaminate drinking water and may cause potentially serious illnesses. High levels of nitrates, a form of nitrogen that develops naturally in animal wastes, in drinking water may particularly harm unborn or young infants and young livestock. Nutrients in animal wastes that enter streams also may lower oxygen levels and kill fish and other wildlife. Odors from animal operations may cause problems with neighbors and create a negative public perception of agriculture.
Proper animal waste management reduces these concerns. Animal wastes also are an important source of plant nutrients for crop production. Other aspects of animal production, such as how animal carcasses are disposed of and silage storage methods, also may contaminate water by introducing bacteria or nitrates. For these reasons, silage storage and animal carcass disposal are included in this self-assessment.

To protect water quality, your animal waste management system should be properly designed, built, and maintained. At a minimum, your animal waste lagoon, animal waste storage area, or animal waste land application area should be at least 100 feet from a private well or other water source, and preferably farther away if possible. You should also apply animal wastes to growing crops or pastures when possible and according to approved application rates. Animal waste land applications also should be 1,000 feet or farther from other residences. Cover any animal wastes transported on public roads to avoid possible pollution.


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A Word About Regulations
For your information, some activities in this self-assessment are listed in bold type to indicate they could violate state water quality, health, or environmental laws. These regulations concern the potential of animal wastes to contaminate your own water supply, the water supply of others, or any designated state waters such as a lake, stream, and other water sources.
Always keep in mind that although regulatory considerations are important, they should not be the only factor in your animal waste management decisions. Many unregulated activities on your farm can affect water quality. Consider required distances between animal wastes and a water source as minimum safe distances and try to maintain farther distances if possible.

If you need more information about these regulations, contact the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Mississippi State Department of Health, your county health department, or the Mississippi Board of Animal Health. For information on designing, building, and maintaining an animal waste management system, contact your county Soil Conservation Service office or county Extension office. See the bottom of this publication for information on how to contact these agencies.


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Understanding Your Self-Assessment
Your drinking water and other water supplies are least likely to be contaminated by animal wastes if you use as many of the low-risk practices listed in this self-assessment as you can reasonably follow. You may not be able to use all low-risk practices, but use as many as practical to protect your water quality, health, and the water quality and health of others.
As you complete your self-assessment, do not be alarmed if you check several or even many high-risk statements. This does not automatically mean your farm has water quality problems. It could, however, tell you that your attention may be needed to avoid potential problems. A score sheet is included to help you better understand your completed self-assessment. If you need additional help, contact your Extension office.


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Directions
This self-assessment is a series of three-part statements, each with a low, medium, and high ranking. This ranking relates to the level of risk to your drinking water quality or other environmental risks associated with that activity or condition. First, read all statements in each set; then check the ranking that best describes conditions on your farm. Some parts of this self-assessment may not apply to you; read all parts and respond to those that do. Remember, this self-assessment is for your information, and your goal is to apply as many low-risk practices as you can.
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Part 1. General (All livestock farmers should complete this section.)
Level of risk
Low ( ) You have an organized plan to manage animal wastes. You know their nutrient content and value, land-apply them as recommended, and keep good records of land applications.

Medium ( ) You manage and land-apply animal wastes according to a plan but don't know their nutrient content and value. You keep some records of animal waste land applications.

High ( ) You have no plan to manage and land-apply animal wastes and don't know their nutrient content and value. No records are kept of any land-applied animal wastes.


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Low ( ) Your animal waste storage and treatment facilities are more than 100 feet downhill from a well or water source.

Medium ( ) Your animal waste facilities are more than 100 feet on grade with or slightly uphill from a well or water source.

High ( ) Your animal waste storage and treatment facilities are uphill less than 100 feet from a well or water source, or pollution from facilities reaches a well or water source.


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Low ( ) You regularly check animal waste storage and treatment facilities for leaks, spills, or overflows and make repairs before any losses.

Medium ( ) You occasionally check animal waste facilities and make repairs at the first sign of leaks, spills, or overflows.

High ( ) Your animal waste facilities are generally ignored and not checked for leaks, spills, or overflows.


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Low ( ) Your animal waste storage and treatment facilities are designed and built to handle current and future capacity. You manage them properly to prevent overloading and overflows.

Medium ( ) Your animal waste facilities are designed and built to specifications existing at the time but don't always function correctly because of age or system overload.

High ( ) Your animal waste facilities are not built to design specifications, or you have no facilities to store and treat animal wastes.


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Low ( ) You soil test animal waste land application areas every year and regularly calibrate land application equipment to make sure recommended, uniform rates are applied. You try not to apply wastes within 24 hours of rain.

Medium ( ) You soil test animal waste land application areas every 2 to 3 years. You usually calibrate land application equipment and check weather conditions before land-applying wastes.

High ( ) You seldom or never soil test animal waste land application areas, don't calibrate land application equipment, and land-apply wastes regardless of the weather.


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Low ( ) You land-apply all animal wastes more than 100 feet from a well, stream, or other water source. This buffer strip has growing crops or vegetation.

Medium ( ) You usually land-apply animal wastes at least 100 feet from a well or water source but sometimes apply wastes generously to lawn and gardens near the well without considering the nutrient needs of plants.

High ( ) You frequently land-apply animal wastes less than 100 feet from a well or other water source, or pollution from land-applied wastes reaches a well or water source.


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Low ( ) Your livestock feeding, loafing, or grazing area is more than 100 feet from a well. Livestock have no direct access to a stream or waterway.

Medium ( ) Your livestock feeding, loafing, or grazing area is 100 feet from a well, or livestock have limited access to a stream or surface water source.

High ( ) Your livestock feeding, loafing, or grazing area is less than 100 feet from a well, or livestock have unlimited access to a stream. Animal wastes enter a stream or other surface waters.


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Part 2. Liquid Animal Wastes (Complete this section if you have a lagoon or other above-ground system.)
Level of risk
Low ( ) Your animal waste lagoon is designed and installed according to the latest approved engineering standards and is site-specific to your farm. The system holds all liquids and is more than 100 feet from a well or water source.
Medium ( ) Your animal waste lagoon is designed according to older standards or is built in silt or clay loam soil and holds all liquids. The system is more than 100 feet from a well or water source.

High ( ) Your animal waste lagoon is not designed to approved standards or is built in sandy soils without an interior liner. The lagoon does not hold all liquids and is less than 100 feet from a well or water source.


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Low ( ) Your animal waste lagoon is large enough to handle sludge, wastewater, 90 to 180 days wastewater storage, and storm water. There are no overflows.

Medium ( ) Your lagoon meets existing treatment needs, but sludge has built up to where an over flow in heavy rains is possible if the recommended wastewater volume is maintained.

High ( ) Your lagoon does not meet existing animal waste treatment needs, and overflows happen during normal use or after rains.


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Low ( ) You regularly pump down your animal waste lagoon according to recommended procedures. Enough liquid is left to meet treatment needs, and enough space is left above the liquid to account for heavy rains and to prevent overflows.

Medium ( ) You regularly pump down your lagoon but don't always leave enough liquid to meet treatment needs or enough space above the liquid to account for heavy rainfall events.

High ( ) Your lagoon is seldom or never pumped down, and overflows happen during normal use or after rains.


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Low ( ) You apply liquid animal wastes to growing crops or vegetation according to an approved waste management plan that considers the nutrient content of wastes and crop nutrient needs.

Medium ( ) You apply liquid animal wastes uniformly to crops or vegetation but without knowing the nutrient content of wastes or crop nutrient needs.

High ( ) You land-apply liquid animal wastes over and over on small, uncropped areas and less than 100 feet from a well or other water source, or pollution from land-applied liquid wastes reaches a well or water source.


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Low ( ) Your milking center wastewater (dairy farmers only) drains directly into a liquid manure storage facility and is land-applied with other wastes.

Medium ( ) Your milking center wastewater drains outside to a grass or vegetated area.

High ( ) Your milking center wastewater drains outside into a ditch that flows to a surface water source or drains to a well.


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Part 3. Solid Animal Wastes (Complete this section if you store solid or dry wastes.)
Level of risk
Low ( ) Your solid animal waste storage facility is designed so all uphill runoff water and roof water are directed away from the storage area.
Medium ( ) Most uphill runoff water and most roof water are directed away from your animal waste storage area.

High ( ) No uphill runoff water or roof water is redirected before it reaches your animal waste storage area. Water runs freely through the storage area or livestock yard.


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Low ( ) You clean and scrape your dairy livestock yard daily to prevent heavy waste accumulation. Wastes are land-applied at least weekly to avoid sanitation problems.

Medium ( ) You clean and scrape your dairy livestock yard about once a week. Wastes are land-applied within 7 days.

High ( ) You seldom or never clean and scrape your dairy livestock yard. Waste is allowed to accumulate longer than 7 days and causes sanitation problems.


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Low ( ) If you temporarily store solid animal wastes in an open air manure stack, it is on a concrete slab with a heavy plastic cover and more than 100 feet from a well or water source. All surface water runoff is channeled away from the stack.

Medium ( ) If you temporarily store solid animal wastes in an open air manure stack, it is on high ground on clay or heavy soils with a plastic cover and more than 100 feet from a well or water source.

High ( ) If you temporarily store solid animal wastes in an open air manure stack, it is on high ground on sandy soil without a cover and less than 100 feet from a well or water source, or pollution from stored solid wastes reaches a well or water source.


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Low ( ) If you temporarily store solid animal wastes in a contained manure stack, it is in a building with side walls and a concrete floor and is more than 100 feet from a well or water source.

Medium ( ) If you temporarily store solid animal wastes in a contained manure stack, the storage area has a roof and a packed clay soil floor and is more than 100 feet from a well or water source.

High ( ) If you temporarily store solid animal wastes in a contained manure stack, the storage area has a leaking roof, a sandy soil floor, or is less than 100 feet from a well or water source, or pollution from stored solid wastes reaches a well or water source.


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Low ( ) You fully tarp or cover all solid animal wastes hauled on public roads to avoid polluting roadways and ditches.

Medium ( ) You usually tarp or cover solid animal wastes hauled on public roads but sometimes don't cover wastes hauled very short distances.

High ( ) You usually don't tarp or cover animal wastes hauled on public roads. Wastes that blow off the truck enter a ditch and pollute surface waters.


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Part 4. Silage Storage (Complete this section if you store silage at any time.)
Level of risk
Low ( ) You reduce the amount of silage liquid produced during storage by using harvesting methods to keep the silage moisture content below 65 percent at the time of storage.
Medium ( ) The moisture content of silage stored on your farm is 65-80 percent when it is put into storage.

High ( ) The moisture content of silage stored on your farm is more than 80 percent when it is put into storage.


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Low ( ) Your upright concrete silo has a concrete floor, or your open trench or bunker silo has concrete sides and floor with an outside plastic cover. All silage liquids are contained in the storage area.

Medium ( ) Your upright concrete silo has a dirt floor, or your open trench silo has an interior liner and plastic cover. Most silage liquids are contained in the storage area.

High ( ) Your open trench or open pit silo is built in sandy soil with no interior liner or no plastic cover. Silage liquids seep into groundwater or drain to a well or water source.


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Low ( ) Your silage storage facility (any type) is more than 100 feet downhill from a well or other water source.

Medium ( ) Your silage storage facility is more than 100 feet on grade with or slightly uphill from a well or other water source.

High ( ) Your silage storage facility is less than 100 feet uphill from a well or water source. Silage liquids drain downhill to a well or water source.


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Low ( ) Your silage storage facility (any type) is well-maintained and in good condition and needs no repairs.

Medium ( ) Your silage storage facility is maintained only as needed but is in generally fair condition with some repairs needed.

High ( ) Your silage storage facility is not well-maintained and is in poor condition and needs major repairs.


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Part 5. Animal Carcass Disposal
Level of risk
Low ( ) You dispose of occasional dead farm animals by composting, contacting a local incinerator or rendering company where available, or you contact your local health department or veterinarian for approved sanitary disposal methods.
Medium ( ) You dispose of occasional dead farm animals by covering them with at least two feet of dirt and more than 100 feet from a well or water source, or by burning.

High ( ) You dispose of occasional dead farm animals by dumping in a stream or gully, or by allowing them to decompose in the open near a residence.


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Low ( ) You dispose of dead poultry (commercial poultry farmers only) in a well-designed and functioning composting bin. Used compost is land-applied or recycled according to recommendations.

Medium ( ) You dispose of dead poultry by incineration or through a poultry rendering facility.

High ( ) You dispose of dead poultry in underground pits less than 300 feet from a well, or dead birds are piled up uncovered or dumped in a gully, stream, or near other water sources.


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Bold type means, in addition to being a high-risk practice, this activity violates Mississippi water quality or health laws.


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Your Farm-A-Syst Score Sheet
This score sheet helps you understand your self-assessment by letting you compare your low, medium, and high risk activities and conditions. To do your score sheet, use a pocket calculator and follow these steps:
First, count your answers for each level of risk in your self-assessment. Write these numbers in the three spaces in the left part of the chart below.
Second, add these numbers to give your total number of answers. Write this number in each of the three spaces to the right of the divided sign in the chart. You'll use this same number each time to figure a percentage.
Third, divide your number of answers in each level of risk by your total number of answers. Multiply your answer each time by 100 to convert this number to a percent.



Total
number
of
answers





Number of low risk answers ______ ÷ ______ X 100 = ______ %
Number of medium risk answers ______ ÷ ______ X 100 = ______ %
Number of high risk answers ______ ÷ ______ X 100 = ______ %

Using percentages is an easy way to compare your low risk, medium risk, and high risk activities or conditions. For example, if your percentage in the lower right column is 50, it means that 50 percent of the activities or conditions in your self-assessment are a high risk to water quality or the environment.

Although there are no "passing" or "failing" grades on your self-assessment, you may find it useful to compare your percentage of high risk activities to the environmental scorecard below.

Less than 25 high risk answers -- You're far ahead of the pack in your water quality protection program.
25 to 50 high risk answers -- Your water quality program generally is on track. A nudge could push you nearer the top.
51 to 75 high risk answers -- You're doing some things right but have a way to go in your water quality program.
76 to 100 high risk answers -- There's no cause to panic, but you may want to get help to correct some activities.

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For More Information
Mississippi water quality regulations
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Pollution Control
P. O. Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39289-0385
(601) 961-5171
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Mississippi health regulations (sanitation and well separation distances)
Your county health department
or

Mississippi State Department of Health
P. O. Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39215-1700
(601) 960-7689


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Animal carcass disposal
Mississippi Board of Animal Health
2531 North West Street
P. O. Box 4389
Jackson, MS 39296-4389
(601) 354-6089 or 1-800-852-1279
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Designing, installing, or maintaining animal waste management systems
Your county Soil Conservation Service office or
Soil Conservation Service
Suite 1321, Federal Building
100 West Capitol Street
Jackson, MS 39269
(601) 965-5205

or

Your county Extension office


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Animal waste management cost-share assistance
Your county Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) office
or

Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
P. O. Box 14995
Jackson, MS 39236-4995
(601) 965-4300


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This material is based on work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Extension Service, under special project number 90-EHUA-1-0014.


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By Dr. Jimmy Bonner, Farm-A-Syst program coordinator, Energy Extension Center, in cooperation with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi Board of Animal Health, Soil Conservation Service, and Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service.

Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status.

Publication 1878
Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. Ronald A. Brown, Director


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Copyright by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved.

This document may be copied and distributed for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.