Manure and slurry storage
Published 8 June 2023
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2023
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The system of manure and slurry management is relevant to the control of environmental risks to water and air. It prevents the loss of ammonia to the air, at the same time retaining the nitrogen for use as an organic fertiliser, reducing the need for manufactured nitrogen fertiliser inputs.
Here we look at the types of stores that livestock farmers have, whether they are covered or not and whether the farmer has any plans to upgrade their current facilities.
Figure 1 Proportion of livestock holdings with manure or slurry storage facilities
| Type of storage facility | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Slurry stored with strainer facility | 5% |
| Slurry in another type of store | 10% |
| Slurry stored in a lagoon without strainer | 14% |
| Slurry stored in a tank | 19% |
| Solid manure stored in heaps on solid base | 75% |
| Solid manure stored in temporary heaps in fields | 75% |
As figure 1 shows, temporary heaps in fields and heaps on a solid base were equally the most common form of storage in 2023, with three quarters of farmers storing manure this way. Around one fifth of farmers said they used some form of cover for heaps on a solid base whereas, only 4% of farmers used cover for temporary heaps in fields. Storage in tanks remains the most common facility for slurry, used by 19% of farmers and of those, one quarter said they used some form of cover.
Figure 2 Proportion of holdings planning to enlarge, upgrade or reconstruct their manure and slurry storage facilities
| Year | In 0 to 6 months | In 7 to 11 months | In 1 to less than 3 years | In 3 to less than 5 years | In 5 to less than 10 years | In more than 10 years | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 9% | 13% | 46% | 19% | 11% | 1% | 100% |
| 2020 | 9% | 14% | 43% | 17% | 14% | 4% | 100% |
| 2021 | 13% | 11% | 49% | 18% | 10% | 0% | 100% |
| 2022 | 5% | 15% | 58% | 15% | 6% | 0% | 100% |
| 2023 | 9% | 16% | 46% | 20% | 5% | 3% | 100% |
The number of livestock farmers planning to enlarge, upgrade or reconstruct their manure or slurry storage facilities, has risen steadily in recent years and now stands at 22%. Figure 2 shows that of the holdings planning to make changes to their storage facilities, the majority (71%) are planning to make these changes within at least 3 years.
Figure 3 Proportion of holdings with storage facilities for slurry by number of months storage capacity
| Year | 1 to 3 months | 4 to 6 months | 7 to 12 months | Over 12 months | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20% | 57% | 22% | 1% | 100% |
| 2020 | 19% | 61% | 17% | 2% | 100% |
| 2021 | 15% | 61% | 22% | 2% | 100% |
| 2022 | 17% | 58% | 25% | 0% | 100% |
| 2023 | 11% | 40% | 40% | 9% | 100% |
In recent years, around three quarters of farms had up to 6 months storage capacity for slurry. In 2023 this only applied to around half of farms, with more farmers having capacity to store slurry for longer periods (Figure 3)
Separating slurry can have several benefits. These include reducing storage space and improving the efficiency with which nitrogen is applied to land which has the potential to reduce emissions. Separating the suspended solids from slurry allows the two manure streams to be handled separately. The solid fraction can be stored on a concrete pad or in a field heap, while the liquid fraction can be stored and transported/pumped to fields for land application.
In 2023, 10% of farmers said they have a slurry separator and this proportion has remained virtually the same in recent years.