Liquid manure technology - from the rotary lobe pump to the Strip Till device
Efficient liquid manure spreading and liquid manure management
Liquid manure is an important resource for agriculture. Used correctly, it brings with it distinct economic benefits. Though improved liquid manure technology comes at a price, it enables huge savings. Why? The more uniformly liquid manure is deposited on or in the ground, the better the nutrients it contains can be utilized since emissions are minimized. Farmers, corporate contractors and machine syndicates can significantly reduce outlay on mineral fertilizer using this natural source of nutrients. Using the full range of agricultural technology by Vogelsang will ensure low-emission application of liquid manure is more successful even under the most demanding conditions.
For several decades now, Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG has been committed to liquid manure technology. Repeatedly we have set new benchmarks for low-emission spreading, thereby enabling our customers to use the nutrients contained in liquid manure efficiently and hence optimize their operating costs. Consequently, we have contributed considerably to their economic success. Incorporating ongoing developments and innovations in our techniques means we are in a position to act as your professional partner – from tanking to spreading. For we know only too well that efficient liquid manure management with ground-level spreading saves costs while at the same time preserving the environment. In order to support our customers in achieving their economic goals as best as possible, we offer a broad portfolio of products in the areas of pump, shredding and spreading technology.
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Applications in modern agriculture
For more efficient liquid manure spreading, generally the liquid manure first needs to be pumped from a deep sump into a tanker or into another container on the yard. Farmers and corporate contractors require efficient pumping technology that is geared precisely to their requirements. At the same time questions like "How do I best pump liquid manure?", "How can I pump large quantities in a short time?" or "Which pump is suitable for mobile use?“ play an important role here.
Rotary lobe pumps - the basis of spreading technology
Rotary lobe pumps have become an essential liquid manure technology due to their fundamental characteristics and are the basis of spreading technology. As the inventor of this technology, Vogelsang is further optimizing its various pump series on an ongoing basis to ensure our products meet the daily requirements of our customers.
Vogelsang pumps are self-priming up to a depth of nine meters so that liquid manure can also be pumped out of deep sumps to a container or tanker. Together with their high performance, they make the tanker filling process simple and fast.
The pump process can be performed using a stationary solution with a liquid manure pump installed on a fixed-position or three-point stand, or else at the tank. There are three drive options (mechanical, electrical, hydraulic) from which each farmer can select.
Use of the liquid manure pump at the tanker
Rotary lobe pumps for tankers being self-priming and high-performance does not suffice alone however. Being compact, having no dependency on direction of rotation, and resistance to foreign matter are additional key features that make rotary lobe pumps the optimal solution. The compactness and low dead weight of the Vogelsang liquid manure pump enables a greater useful load at the tanker, while at the same time filling the tank more quickly and fully. In this way, storage capacities are utilized optimally and transport is as efficient as possible. Vacuum systems arrive at their physical limitations very quickly e.g. due to formation of foam in the tanker. In addition, rotary lobe pumps can fill tanks up to 30 percent quicker than other pumps.
The filling technique at the tanker can also be used for draining. The rotary lobe pump spreads the liquid manure constantly and evenly, regardless of the liquid or pressure level in the tank. This is a basic prerequisite in order use liquid manure as a natural and organic fertilizer. Simple and fast servicing of the pump is also important to ensure downtimes are kept as short and rare as possible. Our QuickService concept means Vogelsang liquid manure pumps can be repaired without dismounting and have a high maintainability.
Additional filling options
Support of the vacuum tank with filling aids
A further variant for tank filling is the vacuum system. When filling with a vacuum pump, the basic problem is foam formation. The filling process also requires more time than other techniques. But an auxiliary filling aid will enable you to lessen both disadvantages of this technique. The Vogelsang PowerFill enables this power at a significantly lower speed due to its generously sized housing, ensuring less formation of foam overall with significantly faster filling. The PowerFill can be inserted both on the suction and the discharge side and can be retrofitted easily using a flange connection.
Stationary and mobile filling stations
Use of tank filling stations is one option for stationary tanking, for example with tanks or terminal storage on a biogas plant. These remove the need for inconvenient, time-consuming coupling and decoupling of hoses since they are equipped with a dome including a filling nozzle enabling the tank to be filled quickly via the dome. There are also mobile filling stations for comfortable and rapid filling on the border of the field. Vogelsang offers two options for filling tanks quickly and conveniently with the FillMaster S for stationary tanking and the FillMaster M for mobile tanking.
Shredding technology is often required to protect pumps from foreign matter and heavy material. This can be carried out either as a stationary technique or at the tanker. The primary goal here is to prevent clogging, blockages and damage due to fibrous matter or foreign matter which can often be found in liquid manure. This might be stones, hoof blocks or earmarks for example.
Use of shredding technology has another key advantage however. The more flowable and homogeneous the liquid manure is, the more effectively it can be used as organic fertilizer. Particularly on tankers, the use of such technology ensures homogeneous but also easily doseable liquid manure suspension.
As a partner for agriculture, Vogelsang also offers tailor-made solutions in this area for relevant customer problems. For example, the RotaCut macerator can be installed as a stationary technology on the yard or in the form of the RotaCut MXL as a mobile solution at the tankers to reliably cut fibers and separate foreign matter. Users can rest assured that their pump and downstream systems will be protected. Integration of a macerator has a positive effect on time management and reduces operating costs due to less servicing of the liquid manure pump and the spreading technology. The generously-sized opening is also very maintainable.
The key factor of efficient liquid manure management is precise spreadingto ensure optimal utilization of the natural nutrients. The basis here is a homogeneous suspension and a filling system for the tanker that also ensures consistently spreading. At the same time the spreading technique itself must be precise, exact and above all, clean. This is the only way to be sure nutrients are spread uniformly.
Wide spreading – the technique of the past
It is well documented that the wide spreading method results in very little spreading accuracy. For this reason, it is widely known as "the spreading system of the past". It is wind-sensitive and disperses the nutrients onto the leaves of crops and not on the soil where the nutrients are required. Another key factor is its poor average distribution.
Precise liquid manure spreading with precision distributors
The hydraulically powered precision distributor is at the center of strip-based spreading technology, a basic prerequisite to precise and reliable spreading to each individual flow. At the same time, fibrous matter and foreign objects are reliably cut by the cutting blades. Vogelsang can offer four different variations here: the DosiMat DMX, the ExaCut ECL, ExaCut ETX or the ExaCut ECQ. We can therefore offer you the optimal solution for all requirements and spreading application areas. Examples of application areas are dribble bar systems, trailing shoe systems, cultivators, disc harrows and slit devices. In summary, the Vogelsang precision distributor is ideal for all spreading techniques.
Low-emission spreading with the dribble bar system
The dribble bar system ensures low-level, virtually odorless spreading. This technique is the future of spreading and will remain so too because it:
- Guarantees low levels of nutrient losses without contaminating crops
- Is resistant to wind and
- Is environmentally friendly
Vogelsang builds dribble bar systems for all drawn and self-propelled vehicles regardless of manufacturer, capacity, type of tires, materials and pump systems up to a working width of 36 meters.
The trailing shoe system for nutrient efficient liquid manure spreading
As a further liquid manure technique variant, the trailing shoe system is an optimal solution for pasture land. The crops are parted using a trailing shoe so that the liquid manure can be spread directly beneath them. The result is even more efficient spreading in existing grass and crops, while at the same time ensuring compliance with requirements of many subsidy programs. With the SwingUp Slide and SwingMax Slide Vogelsang offers two trailing shoe systems with working widths of up to 30 meters. This achieves a level of effectiveness never before seen in trailing shoe technology.
Whole area or strip-based - liquid manure is introduced directly into the soil
To be able to optimally utilize nutrients in the liquid manure, it is important to keep emissions as low as possible. If the liquid manure is introduced directly, these nutrient losses, which occur due to evaporation, are prevented. This is the best solution for arable land for optimal use of nutrients. It also saves you time and money, and reduces the number of passes across the field. Direct introduction of liquid manure is enabled with our SynCult -- equipment set for cultivators and short harrows. For area-based introduction, the SynCult offers a professional solution for simple and quick equipping of a tillage device. Alongside our previous partners Amazone, Väderstad, Köckerling, Horsch, Pöttinger and Farmet we can also offer individual kits for upgrading devices of other manufacturers too.
The Strip Tillage method offers a further option for direct introduction of liquid manure with its optional liquid manure underfoot fertilization. For decades, this method has proven highly successful in dry regions or areas that suffer from drought or erosion problems, as it combines the benefits of no-till and conventional soil cultivation systems. The soil is worked in strips while at the same time the liquid manure is deposited under foot, enabling several processes to be completed efficiently in one single work step. Using this method, nutrients are placed exactly where plants need them - around the roots. Two different series are available with the Vogelsang XTill: the robust XTill ProTerra has a fixed row width of 70 or 75 cm while the XTill VarioCrop can be used with any crops, since row spacing can be freely adjusted from 45 to 75 cm.