Ballymena-based contractor, Jonathan Kirkpatrick, has recently invested in a mobile slurry separation system.
He confirmed the growing demand for the mobile slurry separation service that he is now providing to livestock farmers in the mid-Antrim area.
“Taking the solids out leaves a liquid that can be easily spread on crops or grassland,” Kirkpatrick explained.
“One perceived drawback of low emission slurry systems is the deposit of a slurry crust that is left, particularly on grass swards destined for silage production.
“Increasingly, farmers are concerned that, under these circumstances they are bringing back in slurry solids that they wanted to get rid of. However, spreading the separated slurry liquid gets around this problem entirely,” he added.
Separation also acts to reduce the scale of the slurry storage capacity required on farms.
Courtesy of the service he is now offering, Jonathan will take the slurry solids away.
“I have an arrangement with a number of anaerobic digestion operators who can use the slurry solids as part of the feedstock for their systems,” he explained.
“Alternatively the host farmers can keep the separated solids and use them as a manure source on their own farms.
“I invested in a SlurryQuip RC150 mobile separation system. It has the capacity to separate 28,000g of slurry per hour,” he added.
The system is powered by an accompanying three phase generator, which meets all environmental compliance standards.
“It is set up as a one-man operation. The separator and generator are mounted together on a skid trailer, which is transported to each job by a tractor,” Kirkpatrick further explained
“The farmer provides the fuel for the generator. The separated solids fall into an adjacent trailer with the liquid pumped into a nearby reception tank.”
Grass cutting, raking, precision chop harvesting, and baling are at the heart of the contracting services provided by Jonathan Kirkpatrick during the spring and summer months.
“I spread fertiliser on silage ground for farmer clients a few days ago,” he said.
“This means first cut silages will be made in the Ballymena area before the end of April. We also provide a one-pass drilling service, which has been in strong demand over recent days.
“Farmers are taking advantage of the current dry weather to get spring crops into the ground. We are also preparing ground right now for farmers wishing to plant out forage maize crops later in April,” he concluded.
