Animal Waste Management

Environmental Health Services’ mission is to protect public health and the environment. One component is to prevent the spread of communicable diseases from animal wastes that are generated from horse boarding, training, or stabling facilities. Improperly stored, handled, or disposal animal waste may cause the spread of communicable diseases. Odors, that are often associated with mismanaged animal wastes attract flies and other vectors that can acquire diseases from the waste and spread these diseases over wide areas. Waste management plans are usually a component of a specific land use project, such as a Conditional Use Permit.

A properly designed animal waste management plan would typically be required prior to the issuance of zoning clearance for an appropriate project. The components of this project include:

Volume of waste material generated per day. This includes manure, spilled feed, and used bedding. As a general rule, a 1,000 pound horse produces approximately 1 to 2 cubic feet of manure per day.

A scaled site plan depicting all animal holding areas, manure storage facilities and vehicular access. The plan should also delineate all site drainage, adjacent or onsite watercourses and/or areas which hold or circulate water (i.e., lakes, ponds, pools, etc.).

Collection procedures for the waste material. All manure, soiled bedding and spilled feed must be collected a minimum of two times per week. Wet spots should be dried as much as possible by raking and/or adding absorbent material. Manure deposited at wet racks or other wet areas should be collected immediately. Shady areas should be cleaned daily.

Storage is allowable for a maximum of 4 days in an approved, container (such as trailer or truck bed, commercial refuse bin), protected from rainfall, that is emptied at least two times per week. Steam-cleaning of the container, or other approved methods is required at least monthly. Stockpiling on the ground is not permitted.

Disposal is usually accomplished by taking the wastes to an approved solid waste landfill a minimum of twice weekly. This frequency prevents the completion of fly breeding cycles, which reduces vectors and therefore the spreading of disease. Alternate methods, such as spreading the manure in a one inch layer, on sufficient flat land, followed by dicing the material into the soil, is approved on a case by case basis.

All necessary site maintenance and design equipment must be specified in the management plan. Examples include a tractor with a front-end loader, truck or trailer, manure spreader, harrow or disc, steam-cleaner, and other handtools.

The site must be designed and maintained to discourage drainage through animal confinement and manure storage areas to prevent the offsite migration of wastes, and to allow for the proper drying of waste materials. Animal confinement and manure storage areas may not be located within 50 feet of a waterway, nor within 100 feet of a water well.

General sanitation should include maintaining good air circulation and exposure to sunlight in animal confinement areas. This will include weed abatement, and removal of all refuse and waste materials as described above.

Additional measures may be necessary to further control fly and other insect populations. These might include traps, chemical insecticides, or other recognized and properly applied control measures. Applicants are recommended to seek advice from a licensed pest control operator and/or the Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor.

The final component would be a contingency plan for equipment breakdown, adverse weather conditions, staffing absences, etc.

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