A method and an apparatus for receiving manure from a vacuum truck, as that manure is collected from alleys of a dairy barn, includes receiving the manure in a mixing basin. The received manure is diluted in the mixing basin with a jet of water discharging a sufficient volume of water to form a sand-laden manure flow having a velocity of over 3 feet per second and dilute the received manure into a sand-laden manure suspension of less than seven percent manure solids. The resulting sand laden manure suspension is conducted into a vestibule of a sand settling lane to slow the flow of the sand laden manure suspension to enter a sand settling lane at a velocity of less than 1.25 feet per second. Sand is collected in the sand settling lane.

A pump is provided for immersion in a fluid reservoir, such as a pit or lagoon containing liquid manure, from a position at an edge of the reservoir. The pump may be adapted for connection to a farm vehicle, such as a tractor, positioned at the edge of the reservoir. The pump comprises an extensible body, fluid conduit and drive means in order that a length of the pump may be varied in order to accommodate a variety of reservoir fluid heights. In addition, the pump may be pivotable relative to at least a portion of a frame in order that the entrance angle may be adjusted. The pump may comprise a housing with an inlet and an outlet, the outlet in fluid communication with the fluid conduit. An impeller within the housing may direct fluid from the inlet to the outlet in the housing.

An amphibious vehicle has a floatable vehicle body; ground engaging propulsion structure having a plurality of ground engaging elements powered by a hydraulic motor; a fluid pump for pumping liquid manure; a power source connected to a hydraulic pump and configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump; and, remote control structure for controlling the ground engaging propulsion structure and a flow of fluid from the fluid pump. The speed and/or direction of the vehicle is remotely controllable by an operator remote from the vehicle when the vehicle is ground engaging and when the vehicle is floating.

A method for controlling operation of a manure arrangement (10) that includes a manure storage structure (3), an agitator (11), and an agitator motor (8) arranged to actuate the agitator (11). The method including monitoring (S1), while mixing manure in the manure storage structure (3) with the agitator (11), a load quantity indicative of a load on the agitator motor (8). The method further including controlling (S2) operation of the manure arrangement (10) based on the monitored load quantity. A manure arrangement (10) arranged to perform the method is provided.

An apparatus and a method for receiving sand-laden manure from a vacuum truck in a duty cycle begins by collecting water issuing through a flume valve in a mixing basin. The mixing basin includes a metering bulkhead which forms a weir having a weir height and includes a sand gate. The bulkhead impounds a pool of water to fill the mixing basin at least to the weir height, separating the mixing basin from a sand settling lane vestibule. The impounded water is present to receive a manure payload from the vacuum truck. Water issuing through a flume valve mixes with the received sand-laden manure to form a manure suspension. Water flow through the flume valve is interrupted once a selected volume of water and manure suspension has passed over the weir. Opening the sand gate releases the impounded manure suspension, water and settled sand to flow into the vestibule.

Disclosed is a method for reducing methane emission from slurry produced in a livestock farm. The method comprising the steps of guiding unheated slurry from the livestock farm to a slurry heat exchanger, raising the temperature of the unheated slurry in the slurry heat exchanger to at least 65# Celsius, guiding the at least 65# Celsius hot slurry to an intermediate slurry tank, raising the temperature of the heated slurry to at least 75# Celsius in the intermediate slurry tank, guiding the at least 75# Celsius hot slurry through the slurry heat exchanger to exchange heat with the unheated slurry to raise the temperature of the unheated slurry to the at least 65# Celsius and to cool the at least 75# Celsius hot slurry to at least below 40# Celsius, and guiding the at least below 40# Celsius cold slurry to a slurry reservoir. Furthermore, a slurry treatment plant for reducing methane emission from slurry is disclosed.

A method of moving liquid manure in a liquid manure lagoon involves: driving an amphibious vehicle into the liquid manure lagoon by remotely controlling speed and direction of the amphibious vehicle on the ground, the amphibious vehicle having a ground-engaging propulsion structure for driving the amphibious vehicle on the ground and a floatable vehicle body to float the amphibious vehicle in the liquid manure lagoon; and, moving the liquid manure in the liquid manure lagoon by remotely controlling speed and direction of the amphibious vehicle in the liquid manure lagoon.

An amphibious vehicle has a floatable vehicle body; ground engaging propulsion structure having a plurality of ground engaging elements powered by a hydraulic motor; a fluid pump for pumping liquid manure; a power source connected to a hydraulic pump and configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump; and, remote control structure for controlling the ground engaging propulsion structure and a flow of fluid from the fluid pump. The speed and/or direction of the vehicle is remotely controllable by an operator remote from the vehicle when the vehicle is ground engaging and when the vehicle is floating.

An amphibious vehicle has a floatable vehicle body; ground engaging propulsion structure having a plurality of ground engaging elements powered by a hydraulic motor; a fluid pump for pumping liquid manure; a power source connected to a hydraulic pump and configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump; and, remote control structure for controlling the ground engaging propulsion structure and a flow of fluid from the fluid pump. The speed and/or direction of the vehicle is remotely controllable by an operator remote from the vehicle when the vehicle is ground engaging and when the vehicle is floating.

A pump is provided for immersion in a fluid reservoir, such as a pit or lagoon containing liquid manure, from a position at an edge of the reservoir. The pump may be adapted for connection to a farm vehicle, such as a tractor, positioned at the edge of the reservoir. The pump comprises an extensible body, fluid conduit and drive means in order that a length of the pump may be varied in order to accommodate a variety of reservoir fluid heights. In addition, the pump may be pivotable relative to at least a portion of a frame in order that the entrance angle may be adjusted. The pump may comprise a housing with an inlet and an outlet, the outlet in fluid communication with the fluid conduit. An impeller within the housing may direct fluid from the inlet to the outlet in the housing.