The spreader is designed to automatically turn off when it is near an environmentally sensitive area and turn on again when away from the area. They developed a system to document where the manure is going. The researchers electronically document where, when and how much they apply. To begin, they map where open streams and wells ar e and save this map to a computer. When the spreader is within a designated distance from the water sources, it stops application.
Application begins again when the spreader is out of the designated area.
There are several components on the machine that communicate to start and stop the spreader. The spreader also has a Fasse hydraulic directional control valve and a Krohne electromagnetic flow meter. A Mid-Tech controller acts as the interfac e between these three components. Morris does not refer to his spreader as a variable-rate system. The next step is to determine what nutrients are in each lagoon, pit or even single load of manure.