The subject invention provides improved methods for processing livestock waste, namely, for solid-liquid separation of manure, utilizing microbe-based products. In preferred embodiments, microorganisms and/or microbial surfactants are utilized to improve solid-liquid separation of livestock manure in ways that enhance the value of manure-based fertilizers to farmers and reduces greenhouse gas and other polluting emissions resulting from manure storage.

A method of agitating liquid manure in a lagoon involves: identifying a boundary perimeter in a lagoon within which an amphibious vehicle must remain while a liquid manure agitation device mounted on the vehicle agitates liquid manure in the lagoon; selecting an agitation pattern to be applied to the lagoon from a group of at least two agitation patterns; and, operating the amphibious vehicle to travel in the lagoon within the boundary perimeter while the liquid manure agitation device agitates the liquid manure in accordance with the selected agitation pattern. The group of at least two agitation patterns includes: a random pattern whereby the vehicle randomly changes direction of travel when the vehicle reaches the boundary perimeter; or, a sweep pattern whereby the vehicle is driven toward a liquid manure pump immersed in the lagoon to push suspended solids in the liquid manure toward the liquid manure pump.

A gearbox particularly useful for liquid manure pumps has a power input shaft that is coupled through a gearset to an impeller of the pump. The rotation axis of the impeller is angled in a range of 55-75° with respect to the rotation axis of the power input shaft. Such an arrangement provides both the necessary power and the correct pump orientation for a trailer-mounted pump to efficiently and effectively pump liquid manure from the bottom of a liquid manure lagoon having long sloped sides.

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.

A composting device includes a stirring device, a conveyor belt and a decomposing device. The stirring device, the conveyor belt and the decomposing device are connected successively. A composting method is further provided. An efficient device that can mix livestock and poultry manure, straws and additives fully and uniformly is researched and developed, a conventional method is broken, new innovation is achieved, and the efficiency is improved.

An amphibious pumping vehicle has a floatable vehicle body, a ground engaging propulsion structure, a fluid pump, a plurality of fluid nozzles comprising a first fluid nozzle connected by a fluid conduit to the fluid pump and at least one second fluid nozzle connected to the fluid conduit, a valve structure in the fluid conduit, the plurality of fluid nozzles and the valve structure co-operating to provide directional control and motive power for the vehicle when floating, and a power source configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump.

A method and apparatus for collecting agricultural manure in a confined animal feeding operation includes a separator which receives heavy manure removing particulate from suspension to produce light manure. Heavy manure is collected to a volume of heavy manure sufficient to substantially fill the first tank. Within the first tank, particulate migrates, due to the influence of gravity to form a layer containing manure comprising a lesser density of particulate than is present in the volume of heavy manure. Additional heavy manure buoys the layer such that the upper surface exceeds a height of a weir. The weir is situated in a channel communicating between the first tank and a second tank configured to receive light manure from the separator.

A plant (10) for treating poultry manure comprises:—an apparatus for the first treatment (11) of the poultry manure, configured to carry out dilution, homogenization and hot, damp alkaline hydrolysis of the diluted poultry manure and to supply at exit a stream of inert materials (18) and a stream of hydrolyzed poultry manure (19); —a second treatment unit (20) configured to carry out a flocculation of the stream of hydrolyzed poultry manure (19) and to supply a hydrolyzed and flocculated stream of poultry manure (22);—a solid-liquid separation unit (24) configured to separate the stream of hydrolyzed and flocculated poultry manure (22) into a solid fraction (26) suitable for anaerobic digestion and a liquid fraction (28);—a liquid post-treatment unit (30) of the liquid fraction (28) supplied by the solid-liquid separation unit (24) configured to recover water (32, 60), ammonium sulfate (31, 56) and salts (34, 54, 54a) from the liquid fraction (28).

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.