Livestock owners need to be
aware of their effect on our environment and natural resources.
Regardless of the kind of livestock you have, proper management of
animal and land resources are important to limit potential impact on
natural resources. Take this quiz to determine how ecofriendly your
livestock operation is.
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A. Grazing and Pasture Management
(*add 3
points for each “yes” answer) |
Yes |
No |
1. Are your animals fenced at least 30
feet from ALL sensitive water features such as: well heads, creeks,
streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands?
The area between the animals and water is called a buffer strip. Steeper
slopes need wider strips and all buffer or filter strips
should have permanent vegetative cover. (Ideally, livestock should
also be kept off septic systems to prevent compaction and
damage to the system.) |
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| 2. Is your buffer strip maintained in good
vegetative cover like tall grass, not weeds? Trees and shrubs along
surface water are encouraged.
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| 3. Do you use fences, crossings, and limited access
points to control animal access to sensitive waters?
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| 4. Do you drag or harrow manure in your permanent
pastures?
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B. Manure Storage
(*add 3 points for each “yes” answer) |
Yes |
No |
| 5.
Is your animal manure stored at least 100 feet
from sensitive water features? |
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| 6.
Is the manure stored on a concrete pad or
compact clay, or removed and disposed
regularly (monthly)? |
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C. Nutrient Management
(*add 3 points for each “yes” answer) |
Yes |
No |
| 7.
Is manure applied on soils in such a manner
to prevent phosphorus levels from getting too
high (e.g. soil tests results are within Rutgers
University guidelines)? |
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| 8.
Do you follow a formal manure management
plan? |
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| 9.
Is manure spread on land that has slight or
moderate slopes (<8%) and is at least 100
feet from sensitive waters? |
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| 10.
Is manure spread only during the growing
season and not on frozen soils? |
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D. Clean Water
(*add 2 points for each “yes” answer) |
Yes |
No |
| 11.
Is clean water from the barn roof or surrounding
area directed away from the manure
storage, animal lots, and bare soil? |
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| 12.
Is the storm water from your property collected
so it can infiltrate into the soil? This
helps recharge our ground water. |
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E. Erosion Control
(*add 2 points for each “yes” answer) |
Yes |
No |
| 13.
Are gullies on your property stabilized and
soil erosion controlled? |
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| 14.
Is the amount of bare soil on the property
minimized, possibly through pasture seeding
and management? |
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| 15.
Is the runoff from bare and paved areas (e.g.,
arenas, driveways, and parking lots) filtered
through a vegetative buffer strip? |
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16. (*add 1 point a piece if used) |
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Buffers of borders around the fields |
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Vegetative filters to prevent runoff into
open bodies of water |
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Terraces to limit erosion |
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Strip cropping or contouring of fields |
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| Use of winter cover crops to prevent
erosion
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F. Feed Management
(*add 2 points for each “yes” answer) |
Yes |
No |
| 17.
Do you manage milkhouse waste, silage
waste, and excess or contaminated feed
disposals to prevent contact with stormwater
and/or other water sensitive areas? |
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| 18.
Do you have feed bunks, mangers, and
feeding areas that minimize feed contact with
the ground and minimize stormwater contamination? |
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| 19.
Do you reduce phosphorous level in the diet
to minimize excretion of phosphorous? |
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| 20.
Do you monitor the feed intake of your
animals to prevent feed overconsumption
and minimize waste? |
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| 21.
Do you balance diets to minimize overfeeding
nutrients? |
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| 22.What is the best description of how you feed
your animals? (*add 1 point a piece; check
only two) |
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| Try to balance diets with forages and
concentrates |
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| Get advice from my feed store |
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| Get advice from Extension |
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| Use the services of a consulting
nutritionist |
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Total Score
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This survey is meant to give you a relative idea
of your environmental risk. It is not meant to be
a score of your overall management. However,
if you score very low on the test, you may want
to have a more thorough waste management plan
of your farm completed. Please contact your
local Extension agent. Rutgers Cooperative
Extension is working closely with state and
federal partners to assist producers with animal
waste management. Your local agent will be
able to refer you to the people who can give you
more assistance.
Gilkerson, B. 2006. Is my barn eco-friendly?
University of Minnesota Extension Service in
Hennepin County. www.extension.umn.edu/
extensionnews/2005/ecofriendlybarn.html
