Effectiveness of Various Components of a Dairy Waste Management System for Controlling Losses to Surface and Ground Water

The overall objective of this study was to determine the distribution of dairy manure across an active dairy and to measure the effectiveness of various waste management practices on N and P losses to surface and ground water. The project had three major research efforts. First, an entire dairy herd was tracked for 24 hours during four different seasons of the year to determine the frequency and location of manure deposition. Secondly, the flow of N and P through the waste management system (barn, lagoon, and sprayfield) was precisely measured over the same 24-hour periods. Thirdly, fresh feces, urine and lagoon effluent were tested for N volatilization rates in a lysimeter study. Results of the study were utilized by NRCS and IFAS to set design standards for manure balances on the dairy