The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Tracy mayoh on January 06, 2018, 01:43:16 pm
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Hello
I have four sheep that live out for 8 months of year but I want to know are there anyone out there near me in darwen Lancashire that do a manure / waste removal service
I have a pile of bedding straw and hay that is mounting up and want to get rid
Cheers any advice appreciated
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Could you not compost it down and use it for veg or sell it?
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Best bet would be see if a local farmer will take it away for you or spread it on your land with their spreader
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If you can leave it piled it up for a couple of years it'll be one of the best soil conditioners going, even better if you can add pig or chicken manure.
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Having just spent the afternoon (gratefully) digging into my neighbours' pile of muck from their stables, I cannot but think that someone will want yours. A sign by the road-side, cheap local ad' or web ad' (e.g. shpock, gumtree etc) might do the trick, if you haven't tried already.
[Unfortunately, the well rotted horse manure I really want right now is right at the back of the pile - many hours of lifting and shifting still to come before I get there, but, heh!, it's free.]
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Are there rules attached to piling up sheep hay and straw bedding don't want to get in trouble but would like to compost it and reuse when ready
I'm due an inspection shortly
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So what's the best composting methods ?
Do I stock pile it for a few months covered by a tarpaulin ?
Has anyone any photos of what they do on small holding
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I managed to burn a very large pile of muck that was left when I rented field out for horses.The heap smouldered for days....then just spread the dust which was left onto the surroundind field.....then reseeded .Admittedly helps if you have no neighboursz/right time of year.
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Are there rules attached to piling up sheep hay and straw bedding don't want to get in trouble but would like to compost it and reuse when ready
I'm due an inspection shortly
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/storing-organic-manures-in-nitrate-vulnerable-zones (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/storing-organic-manures-in-nitrate-vulnerable-zones)
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You can check whether you're in an NVZ. I just pile muck up as neatly as possible and leave it. Allowing it to get thoroughly soaked with rain then putting a tarpaulin over the top would probably speed up decomposition.
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I make compost bins by tying pallets together, away from the buildings if possible, should be well away from any houses. You can't have that much with only 4 sheep in for 4 months?
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https://www.gov.uk/guidance/storing-organic-manures-in-nitrate-vulnerable-zones (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/storing-organic-manures-in-nitrate-vulnerable-zones)
Good link! Have only scimmed the 'guidance' so far, but fuller reading obviously advisable.
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How much bedding are you giving? My 20+ ewes in for 8 weeks doesn't give me too much of a heap ... and heap drops by third to half in size relatively quickly as it packs/rots down.
Sheep are normally deep bedded (add little clean straw on top when required .... often not daily!).. and shed cleaned out when sheep go out. Not like equine.
I have 3 sheep currently in a pen inside and haven't needed to add straw for best part of week (the floor is earthen so drains)
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I bed on straw and do a cursory poo-pick when they're at the trough. The earthen floor is, I think, much better than a concrete one. Our shed is cleaned out as soon as the last lambs are turned out and bakes in the sun over the Summer.
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I've been doing some reading: somewhere along the line, I came to think I was not in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) - wrong! - I'm in a Eutropic Waters NVZ. Luckily, I have done nothing yet to break the rules it would seem - just need to keep some additional field records. Thanks for the pointer alang.
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I bed on straw and do a cursory poo-pick when they're at the trough. The earthen floor is, I think, much better than a concrete one. Our shed is cleaned out as soon as the last lambs are turned out and bakes in the sun over the Summer.
Plus side of a concrete floor is you can disinfect easier though... pros and cons to all :-)
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Put new bedding on the old - it makes a nice bed for them, warm and insulated (mind you I dont know how big your pen is or what size or anything for your 4 - I only muck out when winter is over. (I lie sometimes it stays in there all year)
It takes a bit of time to build a good 'bed' but once its there - imo it help the 'drainage' too of wee.
You can always light dust with hydrated lime to get ammonia down and for feet and disinfect. (not when they are in there)
As for disposing of it I suggest may fencing off a tiny corner of the land they are on for the other 8 months with a few pallets and lob it in there it will decrease in volume and and make it easier to handle or transport.