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Animal Production Wastes Assessment

Why should I be concerned?

Careful handling of wastes from animal production makes it possible to receive some benefit from these wastes. Improperly managed wastes can contribute nutrients and disease-causing organisms to both surface water and groundwater.

Nitrate levels in drinking water above federal and state drinking water standards of 10 parts per million (ppm) nitrate-nitrogen can pose health problems for infants under 6 months of age, including the condition known as methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome). Nitrate can also affect adults, but the evidence is much less certain. Young livestock are also susceptible to health problems from high nitrate-N levels. Levels of 20-40 ppm may prove harmful, especially in combination with high levels (1,000 ppm) of nitrate from feed sources. Fecal and coliform bacteria in livestock waste can contaminate groundwater, causing such infectious disease as dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis. Odors from animal production or the application of animal wastes can cause problems with neighbors and result in a negative social environment for agriculture.

The goal of ARKANSAS Farm*A*Syst is to help you protect your drinking water supply.

How will this work sheet help me protect my drinking water?

  • It will take you step-by-step through your animal production practices.
     
  • It will rank your activities according to how they might affect the groundwater that provides your drinking water supplies.
     
  • It will provide you with easy-to-understand rankings that will help you analyze the "risk level" of your animal production practices.
     
  • It will help you determine which of your practices are reasonably safe and effective, and which practices might require some modification to better protect your drinking water.

How do I complete the work sheet?

Follow the directions below.

Directions

  1. Use a pencil. You may want to make changes.
     
  2. For each category listed on the left that is appropriate to your farmstead, read across to the right and circle the statement that best describes your situation. Skip and leave blank any areas that don't apply.
     
  3. Look above the description you circled to find the rank number (4, 3, 2, or 1) and enter that number in the "YOUR RANK" column.
     
  4. Directions on overall scoring appear at the end of the work sheet.

LOW RISK
(rank 4)

LOW-MOD RISK
(rank 3) 		MOD-HIGH RISK
(rank 2) 		HIGH RISK
(rank 1)

YOUR
RANK

Part 1. General

 (All livestock farmers should complete this section.)

• Nutrient (N,P,K)
Based on waste analysis, soil test, and crop nutrient use information or done according to AWMP. Soil test used. No waste analysis. Nutrient value based on published estimates. No waste analysis or soil test. Nutrient value based on published estimates alone. No waste analysis or soil test or effort toward nutrient accounting.  
• Record keeping
Good records kept on farm applications and wastes leaving farm through sales or giving away. Fair records kept on farm applications and wastes leaving farm through sales or giving away. Fair records kept on farm applications but no records on wastes leaving farm. No records kept.  
• Waste application timing
According to accurate nutrient accounting or AWMP. Never apply on frozen or saturated soil. Based on when crop is at growth stage that it usually needs fertilizing. Try to avoid applying in wet conditions. Based on when can get around to it. Sometimes apply when soil is wet or frozen. Based only on keeping holding pond or lagoon pumped down.  
• General location of animal wastes and waste handling facilities
Animal wastes and waste handling facilities located at least 100 feet downslope from well or surface water source. Animal wastes and waste handling facilities located within 100 feet downslope of well or surface water source. Animal wastes and waste handling facilities located upslope and at least 100 feet from well or surface water source. Animal wastes and waste handling facilities located upslope and within 100 feet of well or surface water source.  
• Location of waste application areas
All waste application areas are more than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcrops, or sinkholes and have 15% or less slope.C Most waste application areas are more than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcrops, or sinkholes and have 15% or less slope.

 Several waste application areas are less than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcrops, or sinkholes or have slopes greater than 15%. Animal wastes are nearly always spread over areas that are less than 100 feet from wells, surface water sources, rock outcrops, or sinkholes or have slopes greater than 15%.  
• Soil testing of waste application sites
Yearly. Every 2 years. Every 3 years. Less frequent than every 3 years.

  
• Calibration of waste application equipment
Waste application equipment is calibrated to proper application rate before each application and checked at least once during the application period. Applications are made uniformly over the area.

 Waste application equipment is calibrated before each application but not rechecked during the application period. No effort made to assure applying waste uniformly over the area. Use custom waste hauler and applicator and assume they calibrate their equipment. Or calibrate your equipment only once a year. Never calibrate waste application equipment or ask custom applicator about his calibration procedure.  

Part 2. Liquid Animal Wastes

 (Complete this section if you have a lagoon or other aboveground system.)

• Waste storage pit, pond, or lagoon
Designed, installed, and maintained according to NRCS or professional engineer specifications. Designed and installed according to NRCS or professional engineer specifications but not maintained according to specifications. No NRCS or professional engineer design and installation specifications. Constructed in silt loam, loam, clay loam, or silty clay soils. Water table deeper than 20 feet. No NRCS or professional engineer design and installation specifications. Constructed in sand or sandy loam soil with no clay layer. Or fractured bedrock or water table shallower than 20 feet.

  
•Waste storage and handling facilities inspection
All animal waste storage and handling facilities are routinely (once per week) observed for leaks, spills, or overflows. Repairs are made as needed. Animal waste storage and handling facilities are occasionally (once per month) observed for leaks, spills, or overflows. Repairs are made as needed.

 Animal waste storage and handling facilities are repaired after signs of leaks, spills, or overflows are observed.
 Animal waste storage and handling facilities are generally ignored and not observed for leaks, spills, or overflows.
  
• Milking center waste water
Wastewater delivered directly to liquid manure storage. Wastewater delivered to septic tank drainfield system. Wastewater drains outside to grassed area. Wastewater drained outside into ditch that flows to surface water source.

  
Part 3. Solid Animal Wastes (Complete this section if you store solid or dry wastes.)
• Open air manure stacks
Manure stacked on concrete slab and protected with 6-mil plastic cover. Surface runoff diverted away from stack. Manure stacked on 6-mil plastic or packed clay soil layer and protected with 6-mil plastic cover. Surface runoff diverted away from stack.

 Manure stacked on high ground on silt loam, loam, clay loam, or silty clay soils. Water table is deeper than 20 feet. Manure stacked on high ground on sand or sandy loam soil. Fractured bedrock or water table shallower than 20 feet.  
• Contained manure stacks
Building with side walls has concrete floor, protected from surface water runoff. Bedding provided to soak up leakage from manure. Roof cover with no sidewalls or concrete floor with curb. Protected from surface water runoff. Bedding provided to soak up leakage from manure. Roof cover with no sidewalls, has earthen floor on silt loam, clay loam, or silty clay soils. Water table or fractured bedrock deeper than 20 feet.


 Roof cover with no sidewalls, has earthen floor on sand or sandy loam soil. Water table or fractured bedrock shallower than 20 feet.  
• Water diversion
All upslope surface water and roof runoff water is diverted from animal waste areas. Most upslope surface water and roof runoff water is diverted from animal waste areas. No surface water diverted. Some roof runoff water collected and diverted from animal waste areas.

 All surface and roof water runs through animal waste areas.
  
• Animal lot runoff
No lot runoff. Covered lot protected from surface water and roof runoff. All lot runoff collected and directed into waste storage pond. Most of lot runoff collected and diverted to grass filtered strip.

 Lot runoff uncontrolled.  
• Animal lot cleaning and scraping
No lot. All animals are confined. Once per week. Once per month. Rarely.  
Part 4. Silage Storage (Complete this section if you store silage at any time.)
• Silage storage locations
Storage is downslope and at least 100 feet from well or surface water source. Storage is downslope and within 50 feet to 100 feet of well or surface water source. Storage is upslope more than 100 feet from well or surface water source. Storage is upslope within 100 feet of well or surface water source.  
• Silage storage leachate collection
Collection system in place and maintained. Collection system in place but not maintained. No collection system. Leachate goes into grassed area. No collection system. Leachate goes into low area or waterway.  
• Trench silage storage
Concrete base. Covered and surface water diverted away from area. Clay layer base. Covered and surface water diverted away from area. Soil base. Covered but no surface water diversion away from area. Soil base. No cover or surface water diversion away from area.  
    Rankings Total
(add up numbers in Your Rank Column) 		 
    # Of Areas Ranked (18 if ranked all)  
  Use these two numbers to calculate risk ranking.

Fact Sheet • Risk Ranking

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University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture
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Last Date Modified 10/20/2009
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