Iowa State University Extension is hosting two Iowa manure management and runoff control demonstration field days at the end of October. The purpose of these field days is to review low-cost options for managing runoff water and manure from small- to medium-size beef and dairy feedlot operations.

RUNOFF CONTROL: Manure management and runoff control demonstration field days will be held Oct. 29 near Wall Lake and Oct. 31 near Andover. Purpose is to review low-cost options for managing runoff water and manure from small- to medium-size beef and dairy feedlot operations.

Recent compliance enforcement from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the federal Environmental Protection Agency has put the focus on controlling runoff from small- to medium-size feedlots. “Small- and medium -size open feedlots can potentially discharge significant amounts of nutrients to streams," points out Shawn Shouse, an agricultural engineering specialist with Iowa State University Extension in southwest Iowa. “The nutrients can cause water quality problems in streams and present a loss of valuable fertilizer nutrients for the farm."

* Oct. 29 Wall Lake field day: The first field day will be on Monday, October 29 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Bob Ziegmann farm located near Wall Lake. This field day will feature a system designed to keep manure runoff out of the road ditch and distribute it in a crop field instead. The Ziegmann feedlot is located at 3740 B Avenue, near the town of Wall Lake. To get to the feedlot from Wall Lake, go south 5 miles on M64 and then 2.5 miles west on B Avenue.

* Oct. 31 Andover field day: The second field day will be on Wednesday, October 31, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Ray and Andrew Naeve feedlot located west of Andover. This field day will look at two different kinds of manure handling systems. One is an earthen basin located below one feedlot that provides protection to a nearby stream. The other is a concrete settling basin adjacent to a feedlot that captures manure runoff and settles the manure solids with the effluent discharged to cropland.

The Naeve feedlot is located at 4166 135th St., not far from Clinton. To reach the feedlot,  go 0.5 mile north of the intersection of County Highway E50 and Z50 on County Highway Z50 (through Andover) to 135th Street. Turn left (west) on 135th Street and go 1.6 miles to the first place on north side of road. Lunch will be served by the Clinton County Cattlemen's Association.

Both field days will be held rain or shine. In addition to the manure control systems, the field days will also include information on regulations for small- and medium-sized feedlots, nutrient content of feedlot manure and use in cropping systems, manure stockpiling regulations, and financial and technical assistance opportunities for feedlot owners.

These field days are part of the Water Quality Initiative for Small Iowa Beef and Dairy Feedlot Operations, supported in part by a Section 319 grant through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. EPA Region 7. Local partners to this Water Quality Initiative include Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Iowa Cattlemen's Association, the Iowa State Dairy Association, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the USDA-NRCS.