EC98-755 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’s System for Assessing Water Contamination Risk Fact Sheet 13: Improving Milking Center Effluent Treatment

Authors

Robert Grisso, University of Nebraska at Lincoln
DeLynn Hay, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Paul J. Jasa, University of Nebraska at LincolnFollow
Richard K. Koelsch, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Sharon Skipton, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow
Wayne Woldt, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

1998

Comments

© 1998, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension. All rights reserved.

Abstract

Effluent from the dairy milking center, including discharges from the milking parlor (manure, feed solids, hoof dirt) and milkhouse (bulk tank and pipeline rinse water and detergent used in cleaning), is commonly disposed of in a variety of ways. Milking center effluent offers several unique challenges due to the presence of: 1. Large volumes of contaminated water which can overwhelm soil absorption systems. 2. Milk solids and fats and manure solids which plug many systems. 3. Cleaning sanitizers which reduce bacterial breakdown of solids. When these systems fail, effluent will become a risk to surface and groundwater quality.