March 11, 1997
Take steps to improve farmstead drainage, reduce spring mud problems
Mud is a fact of life on a farmstead during spring snowmelt, especially in
outside livestock lots. However, strategies to reduce mud problems and improve
drainage can make a difference, says an engineer with the University of
Minnesota's Extension Service. Kevin Janni offers the following suggestions:
- Remove deep snow. A foot of snow is the equivalent of one to two inches of
water just waiting to make mud. If you get a big snowfall or develop a large
drift in a lot, plow or scrape it off to the side. This will reduce the
snowmelt come spring. Snow containing manure needs to be handled carefully so
that the manure does not run off into surface waters when the snow
melts.
- Pile snow strategically. When you do move snow around the farmstead, think
about where you put it. Locate piles so the snowmelt they produce will drain
away from the lot rather than through it.
- Divert drainage. Take a good look at the overall farmstead drainage
pattern in the vicinity of livestock lots. If other parts of your property
drain through the lot, invest some time this summer in regrading the slope or
adding shallow diversion ditches so that runoff water flows around
lots.
- Manage roof runoff. On many farms, water runs off the barn roof into the
livestock lot. A shallow trench or ditch beneath the overhang can help direct
this water out of the yard. Better yet, install gutters and downspouts that
empty away from animal lots.
- Add a pad. A concrete pad along feed bunks and around waterers can help
keep eating and drinking cattle high and dry. Pour pads 10 to 12 feet wide for
best results.
- Raise your grade. Another long-term solution is to grade your lot to
provide continuous drainage away from the animals. A four to six percent slope
is recommended.
- Make mounds. Mounds of earth five to six feet high with a 16 to 20 percent
slope are used in beef feedlots to help keep animals dry. If you decide to
build mounds, it's a good idea to stabilize them by adding bedding or disking
in barn lime at a rate of one pound per square foot on top of the
mounds.
Additional information on improving drainage and reducing mud problems is
available in two Midwest Planning Service handbooks. They are MWPS-6, Beef
Housing and Equipment Handbook, and MWPS-18, Livestock Waste Facilities
Handbook. Check with your county office of the Minnesota Extension Service
on the availability of these handbooks.
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Web,V2,V4MN,V5MN,B1,D1,H6,S1,S2
NAGR5463
Source: Kevin Janni, (612) 625-3108
Editor: Joseph Kurtz, EDS, (612)
625-3168, pkurtz@extension.umn.edu
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