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Bale "Chopper-Blower" Controls Lagoon Odors
"It's the most effective method discovered yet to control odors in lagoons," says Phil Reddekopp, Highline Mfg., about his company's new round straw bale "chopper-blower". It chops and then blows straw up to 100 ft. out onto the surface of lagoons, leaving an 8 to 10-in. layer on top that reduces odors by up to 95 percent.
The "Bale Pro 6800" is a conventional ptooperated round bale processor with a 5-ft. dia. blower bolted to its side. The blower directs chopped material through a directional spout that swivels 320 degrees horizontally and also up and down. Hydraulic-operated bale forks mounted on the side of the rig load the bale into the processor, eliminating the need for a second tractor.
"The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute commissioned us to build the unit. Test results were so positive that we decided to put it on the market," says Reddekopp. "The giant blower operates at 1,000 rpm's and re-quires a 130 hp or larger tractor. When it's operating it sounds like a jet airplane. A 10-in. thick layer of processed straw on top of a lagoon will control odor for up to three months, eliminating the cost of any other odor treatment. After about six weeks you may have to recover parts of the lagoon, depending on what type of straw you're using. We've found that barley is most effective because it has an oily skin that keeps the straw from getting water-logged and sinking. Eventually the straw settles to the bottom of the lagoon, decomposes, and adds nutrient value to the slurry. Tests show lagoon agitators and pumps equipped with straw choppers can easily pump out the slurry.
"The machine handles bales up to 6 ft. in diameter. It takes about 5 minutes to chop a bale. A 175 by 600-ft. lagoon requires 80 to 100 bales to create a 10-in. layer of straw so you can cover a large lagoon in one day.
"By unbolting the blower and spout you can use the machine as a conventional bale processor."
Sells for $20,800 U.S.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Highline Mfg. Inc., Box 307, Vonda, Sask., Canada S0K 4N0 (ph 306 258-2233; fax 2010).


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1998 - Volume #22, Issue #5