Jason Gross

Engineering Technician

University of Nebraska Extension

Is a Small AFO Big Business and What About VTS?

• Develop and demonstrate new alternative practices for un-regulated livestock producers though a small cost share program

• Design and build projects on small and medium livestock operations under real world conditions.

• Educate Producers and Consultants about using VTS

LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS ENVIRONMENTAL

ASSISTANCE PROJECT Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund

NDEQ (EPA) 319 Non-Point Pollution Program Grant

US Cattle Statistics (National Agricultural Statistics Service 2012)

• 2.2 million farms

• 1.17 million farms with gross revenues at $1 -

$10,000 (or 1.77 million are less than $100,000

• 145,200 farms with gross revenues at greater than

$500,000

• 729,000 total cattle operations (cows and calves)

• National average gross revenue is $134,800

Nebraska Cattle Statistics (NASS and Nebraska Beef Council 2012)

• 46,800 farms which 20,000 of them raise cows or

calves.

• 10,200 of the have gross revenues of $1 - $10,000

(or 22,400 are less than $100,000)

• 9,800 farms have gross revenues of over $500,000

• Nebraska average farm income is $508,000

(gross)

Nebraska Cattle Statistics (NASS and Nebraska Beef Council 2012)

• 6.3 million cows and calves

• 2.5 million or so on feed

• 1.9 million cows

• 1.8 million calves in stocker, grower, or back-grounding

operations

• 760 large CAFO’s (cattle, dairy, and swine)

• Roughly 3,800 small or medium feedlots while most of the

15,000 cow operations have some kind of feeding areas.

• Direct beef sales of $8.6 billion and indirect economic

impact to the state of $12 – 20 billion.

So -

• If a 500 head back-grounding feeding

operation feeds one group of calves (+ $1,000

each) then that operation is one of the top

0.45% of the farm income earners in the

United States.

• So, yes a small or medium AFO is “Big

Business”

So how does a VTS fit in these AFO’s?

Sprinkler Vegetative Treatment Systems (VTS) Advantages

• They are flexible systems that can be economically designed to

match desired application rates and soil infiltration rates

• Feeding area is down gradient of the possible VTA location

• Soil intake rate is too high for a flood application system (sandy

/ loess soils) or too low (very tight clay soils)

• Topography challenges (rolling hills or short slopes)

• Sensitive water table, low AWC of the soil, and many other

reasons

• Uniform application may be a critical design constraint

• Limited space available.

• Usually simpler to design and construct.

Case Study of the Lancaster Co Small AFO

• Farm and cow calf operation

• Southeast NE near Lincoln (close to urban area)

• 150 head of cows plus heifers and bulls

• 1.9 ac feeding area with barns

• Has capacity of 240 head of calves

• Connection to small tributary

Engineering • Feeding Area 1.9 acres

• 25-year, 24-hour storm = 5.4 inches (runoff = 4.3 in)

• Silty Clay Loam soil with an infiltration rate of 0.2 in/hr and AWHC

of 5.7 in in the top 4 feet

• Dual basin design with capacity of 35,100 cu ft

• Pump powered by a 10 hp diesel engine with a GR 80 series self

priming pump with capacity of 80 gpm @ 140’ TDH

• 30 pod K-Line system in 2 sets of 24 hours each

• Sprinkler application rate is 0.12 in/hr @ 40 psi for a total application

of 2.88 inches

• VTA is 4.0 acres (VTA to feedlot ratio of 2:1)

• NRCS Practice Standards- 632,635,512,634,533,430,442, and 342

Before:

Searching for ground water

After:

Construction Costs

• This project was turn key at $22,991 (or $12,100

per feedlot acre or $95.80 per calf capacity.

• Since 2008 sprinkler VTS range from $6,500 per

feedlot acre to $12,100.

• Pump station is usually near 50% of the systems

cost.

• Multiple basins adds to the cost.

• Can have considerable difference in construction

cost between diesel, gas, and electric power

drives.

Things to Ponder • Sprinkler VTS and NMP must match producer

management style.

• Sprinkler VTS and NMP must match climate (don’t need a

million dollar system in drier climates) Logan county VTS

hasn’t been used in 3 years.

• On Small AFO’s little things can make large impacts on

construction costs.

• Systems must be user friendly in all rain and runoff events

(especially the little ones) Don’t get hung up on the big

events.

• Systems need a low failure rate.

Coming Soon 2014 Questions? Jason Gross (308) 865-1594 jason.gross@unl.edu

• VTS Operators Manual

• Grass Rooting Monitor

• VTS design online videos

• Design guides – online

• Engineering help on http://water.unl.edu/web/manure/small-afos

• Feeding Without the Feedlot

(demonstrate the mechanics of

grazing on forages)