Get shit done. A poster with this text hangs in Roy Smets’s office. The wall decoration fits seamlessly with an important part of his daily work: helping to solve manure pit problems at pig farms. “In practice, hardly any attention is paid to manure management. And with pen enrichment materials, the problems under the slats will only pile up.”
On many pig farms, a significant number of work hours are lost—often without anyone noticing—in the effort to get manure to flow under the slats. Such inefficiency persists if the root cause of pit problems is not addressed.
“Sometimes the source is easy to identify, but often it’s a complex issue, and the problems grow over time,” says Roy Smets, co-owner of Topturn Special Products. “Paying attention to manure management on pig farms is becoming increasingly important, because the impact of pen enrichment adds to the challenge.”
“My estimate is that one in five pig farms is affected by this. That hasn’t changed over the past fifteen years. Incidentally, the problem doesn’t necessarily occur in every barn or manure pit.”
“This could be due to various factors, since no two barns, feed and drinking water systems, or manure management practices are the same. But one important indicator is the manure composition: if the first loads contain low levels of phosphate and nitrogen and the last loads contain high levels. You don’t see this with homogeneous slurry in the pits.”
“Another possible issue is the nuisance caused by flies or other pests. This can result from dry manure crusts or a floating layer in the manure pit. It may be caused by a poorly installed sewage system or leaking valves. A floating layer often forms because self-mixers incorporate grains—chaff and all—into the feed ration.”
“At feed-mixing operations and self-mixing farms with a dry feed system. For example, if a pig farmer uses potato steam peels that haven’t been properly ground, a floating layer problem is bound to occur. The same applies when self-mixing farms use barley or grind unhulled grains with their hammer mill.”
“That’s true for the most part, but well problems can result from poor water quality or drinking nipples that are set too sparingly. Finishing pigs that, on average, drink half a liter less water per day can be the cause of a well that isn’t running.”
“Frequent removal of a load of manure can also lead to problems in the manure pit. In that case, the thinnest fraction of manure is removed each time, and an increasingly thick, heavy layer of manure builds up in the pit. It might be good for cash flow to spread out these removals, but by completely emptying the manure pit once a year, you can avoid trouble.”
“The requirements for pen enrichment increase the risk of manure pit problems. Some of the edible and rootable organic materials that must be permanently available will end up in the manure pit without having passed through the pigs’ intestines.”
“If pig farmers make the wrong choices, the problem under the slats will get worse. Pay attention to manure management and don’t wait until it’s too late.”
“The use of long or very coarsely chopped straw. It’s practical and, at first glance, seems to meet regulatory requirements; however, over time, a floating layer or manure crust develops beneath the slats.”
“Including woody products in pig rations can also lead to manure pit problems. At a farm where I was called in to address this issue, it turned out that the current rations weren’t the cause. After asking more questions about the raw materials used in the past, it became clear that fiber-rich oat hulls—intended to promote intestinal health—were actually the culprit in the manure pit.”
“Yes, even though pig farmers thought they were doing the right thing—for example, by mixing the manure thoroughly. Poor-quality manure can separate again within a day, causing a floating layer to form once more. So if you decide to mix it, make sure to remove the manure right away.”
“Or diluting manure with a stream of water just to get it out without addressing the root cause. That’s like trying to mop up a flood with the faucet still running, and it frustrates the staff. I noticed something like that at a farm where an employee spent 16 hours a week on that manure-cleaning task for an extended period, instead of focusing on the pigs. When he finally had enough of it, they did make an effort to find a structural solution.”
“Start with a baseline measurement. Step by step, figure out what’s going on in a specific manure pit and why the manure isn’t draining properly. To immediately determine on-site whether the feed ration might be the cause, I use a manure sieve. I rinse fresh manure with water through it, which leaves me with three fiber fractions. Then you can immediately see if there are a lot of husks, undigested grain kernels, or coarse particles in the manure.”
“It’s a matter of raising awareness: you see what’s left at the end of the process from what you put in at the beginning. It’s perfectly fine to be critical of what ends up in the manure from the pig. In this case, it turned out that the fiber fractions in the feed weren’t chopped up finely enough.”
“When BioAktiv is added to the feed, pigs develop healthier gut flora and experience better feed digestion. Pigs benefit from the consistently low dosage, and after two to three months, the effect is also noticeable in the barn. Air quality improves due to improved microbial activity in the manure pit.”
“The pit process is back and makes the manure more uniform in composition. If you want faster results, adding the biological product to the pit is the best option. It brings the manure back to life.”
In cattle farming, it is standard practice to analyze manure on-site for the presence of solid components. Feed consultants use this method to check whether animals are digesting their roughage ration efficiently. According to Roy Smets, this is not done—or is done only sporadically—in pig farming. “By sifting samples of fresh manure from the pigs, I show what remains of the ration they were fed. This helps raise awareness of what ends up in the manure pit and can lead to pit problems.”
“If you’re too zealous about disinfecting pens, it can lead to manure pit problems. Dead, rotting manure separates from the rest of the manure and causes poor air quality. Of course, the use of disinfectants is understandable when medically necessary.”
“That’s true, but a healthy biological balance in the pigs and in the manure helps reduce emissions. For example, adding BioAktiv to the feed or drinking water results in a 27 percent reduction in ammonia emissions from pig barns.”
“Absolutely. If you take into account the potential risks associated with certain raw materials or bedding, pay attention to the quality of the drinking water, maintain the manure removal system, and ensure regular manure removal, you’ll save yourself a lot of unpleasant work.”
“With BioAktiv, we provide that extra boost to make more efficient use of feed. What’s more, the pigs benefit from a better barn environment, as do the farmer and his employees.”
“And so does the crop farmer. He appreciates the consistency of the manure deliveries that come directly from your farm. In addition, the improved microbial activity in the homogeneous manure leads to healthier soil and higher crop yields of better quality. Together, you’re taking a step toward better closing the loop.”
