“Prevention And/Or Dealing With Foaming Manure Pits”
By: Paul Walker Thompson Date: March 25, 2016
The incidence of Foaming Manure Pits and their potentially dangerous effects on Human Hog Producers and on Pigs is definitely of concern these days. (1,2,3,+4) Foaming Pits have also contributed to Flash Fires in Hog Barns that can burn a Hog Building down. Recent research has been conducted to try and find out why some pits start to foam.
Foaming Pits have shown to have different Microbial Characteristics than Non-Foaming Manure Pits. (1+2) Not only do Foaming Pits have a different Microbial Mix, but they tend to be higher in DDGS, Fiber and Salt (1+2) as well as having more Methane Production and more Lysine. (2) If you wanted to lower the incidence of Foaming Pits, researchers found that Soybean Meal, Crude Protein and Fat Tended to be correlated with Non-Foaming Pits. (2)
As well as feeding less DDGS, it seems to be Common Sense that if you keep your Manure Pits fairly low by pumping them out twice a year (i.e. both Spring and Fall) you could decrease the effects of Foaming Pits getting near or over your slats.
(1) Gate, Richard; Laura Pepple, Angela Dent, Dan Anderson, Brian Kerr, Steve Trabue, Chuck Clanton, Larry Jacobson, Brian Hetchler and Bo Hu. “Studying the causes of foaming manure” “ National Hog Farmer-2015 Research Review” Pages 20 + 21 December 2015.
(2) Gate, Richard et.al. “2015 Research Review: Studying the causes of foaming manure” “National Hog Farmer” December 10, 2015.
http://natioanhogfarmer.com/environment/2015-research-review-studying-causes-foaming-manure. Cited March 25, 2016.
(3) Schulz, Kevin “Safety stressed at all times in hog barns” “National Hog Farmer” March 10, 2016.
http://nationalhogfarmer.com/facilities/safety-stressed-all-times-hog-barns. Cited March 25, 2016.
(4) Fetzer, Linda M. and Cheryl Skjolaas “Manure Foaming” (2012) Farm and Ranch Extension in Safety and Health Community of Practice.
http://www.extension.org/pages/63144/manure-foaming. Cited March 24, 2016.
(5) Clanton, Chuck and Larry Jacobson “Control swine manure deep-pit foaming to prevent flash fires” Aug. 19, 2013 Ag Safety and Health November 12, 2015. Cited March 24, 2016.
