Even though manure is almost continually being produced, manure storage is necessary because resource and environmental management concerns require manure to be used at specific points in time.
The most common example of this is when manure is used as a source of nutrients for crop production. In this situation, the manure needs to be stored until the nutrients are needed by the crop and when soil and weather conditions permit the application. Manure storage provides flexibility in the timing of manure application and allows the manure nutrient value to be maximized while the potential adverse water quality impacts due to runoff and leaching are minimized.
Karl VanDevender, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas
