Removing fiber from cattle wastes and grit from poultry manure significantly reduces the lagoon solids buildup rate and associated pumping problems. Removal of oxygen-demanding solids in swine and poultry manure reduces the lagoon organic loading and lessens its odor potential. Beneficial uses of the recovered solids include bedding materials, animal feed ration supplements, composts, and soil amendments. Waste is collected in a sump sized to store 3 - 4 days accumulation of manure plus dilution and flush water.
Solids are dry enough to be handled by conventional solid materials handling equipment.
An alternative is an earthen settling basin for 6 to 12 months storage of solids. The basin contents should be thoroughly agitated and removed for land spreading either by liquid manure spreader or slurry irrigation. Tank volume depends on a peak-flow wastewater detention time of 10 to 30 minutes. Most readily settleable solids in livestock manure settle in about 10 minutes although some additional settling occurs for hours. Tank inlets and outlets are baffled and solids are removed by automated skimmers and scrapers.