"Monster" Makes Manure More Manageable

"Monster" Makes Manure More Manageable MANURE HANDLING Equipment 30-4-35 The Manure Monster« dewatering system is a piece of equipment that separates liquids from solids in manure, making it easier and more economical to manage. Produced by North Star Manufacturing, Inc. of Estherville, Iowa, Manure Monster is distributed by Dick Hauser of Richland Center, Wis. Hauser says the 48 by 91 by 131-in. unit is already in use at various dairy operations around the country with great success. In addition, its capabilities are also being verified and tested at the University of Wisconsin, Platteville, by Dr. Chris Baxter, a soil scientist and nutrient specialist. "There are a lot of advantages to manure separation. You minimize the costs of maintaining a lagoon by reducing the solids build-up in it. This eliminates the crust that forms on lagoons. It can also make your lagoon more æneighbor friendly' by minimizing odors," Hauser says. "If you want, you can even reuse the ægray water' to flush your barns." According to Hauser, manure separation allows year-round stacking of dry manure, which greatly reduces water run-off from stacked solids because the dry stack sheds rain better. These dry solids can be re-used for bedding or composted and sold as a value-added product. They're also lighter and smaller in volume to haul for field spreading. The Manure Monster system is simple in its design. The portable machine can be installed "in-line." Liquid or semi-solid manure from the barn is mechanically fed into the 300-gal. (40 cu. ft.) hopper (a pump lid system is also available). An auger then moves the material across a specially designed screen that separates the solids from liquids. Exit water is directed to a lagoon or storage vessel, while the solids are stacked. The unit is a screw press, constructed of all stainless steel, except the carbon steel auger. The domestically manufactured direct drive means no bolts, chains or sprockets to maintain. The auger operates inside a stainless steel tube, into which specific patterns of slots are cut. At the end of the tube is a specially designed "basket" with a weighted door system. The basket end of the auger is free floating, giving it the flexibility to handle foreign objects like ear tags, wood, rocks, etc., up to 2.5-in. dia. without being damaged. The elevated design of the tube gets gravity involved in the dewatering process. In most cases, the solids coming out of the unit are in the 60 to 65 percent moisture range. The Manure Monster requires 3-phase, 230 or 460-volt power. A single-phase converter is available. The system is available in 5 or 10 hp models with 15 or 29 rpm's. Low horsepower means less energy used and lower operating costs. The unit's capacity varies with the type of bedding and moisture concentration, but can range from 25 to 125 gpm. Capacity can also be increased by installing a second Manure Monster, according to Hauser. The Manure Monster basic unit price ranges from $25,000 to $30,000, depending on size, options and accessories. Hauser says the company is setting up dealers nationwide. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Neptune Enterprises, Dick Hauser, 31877 Dog Hollow Rd., Richland Center, Wis. 53581 (ph 608 585-4808; neptune@mwt.net; www.gotmanure.com).

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