Until now, pumping manure laced with straw or other bedding has required two pumps -- one to first chop the straw, and a second to move the chopped material under pressure through irrigation pipe and sprinklers, or to load it into a tank for spreading.

The just-introduced Holz pump does both jobs. Described as "a portable single disc drive," it handles thick slurry containing up to 20% straw or other dry matter. It has a built in air compressor to prevent air locks. It'll chop and move slurry through several miles of irrigation pipe at 20 lbs. pressure. Capacity (5 1/2-in. dia. input and 4 1/2-in. dia. output) is rated at 200 cu. meters per hr. Requires a 50 hp tractor to operate at 20 lbs. pressure.