Page 196 - Nutrient Management Planning Guide

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Calibrating Manure Application Equipment

Calculating the Capacity of a Liquid Tank Spreader

A non-round tank spreader has a length of 8.5 m, a width of 3.75 m and diameter of 2.5 m. The volume of the spreader is:

Volume (m 3 ) = 8.5 m × 3.75 m × 2.5 m × 0.785 = 62.55 m 3 is the volume of the spreader To convert this volume into litres:

Spreader Volume (L) = Spreader Volume (m 3 ) × 1000 L/m 3

= 62.55 m 3 × 1000 L/m 3

= 62,550 L is the volume of the spreader

Spread Manure on Calibration Test Area 2.

While maintaining constant speed, spread the load (or loads) of manure on a calibration test area. To achieve uniform coverage with the manure, make passes with application equipment one-spreader width from the centre of adjacent passes.

Measure the Calibration Test Area 3.

Use flags, stakes or some other reliable marker to mark out the boundaries of the calibration test area where the test loads of manure were spread. Measure the distances between the markers and calculate the area (in m 2 or ft 2 ). The area covered by the test load(s) of manure can be converted to hectares (or acres):

Calibration Test Area (ha) = Calibration Test Area (m 2 ) ÷ 10,000 m 2 /ha

Calibration Test Area (ac) = Calibration Test Area (ft 2 ) ÷ 43,560 ft 2 /ac

Measuring the Calibration Test Area

Three loads of manure were spread onto a rectangular test area with a width of 92 m and a length of 205 m. The estimated area covered by the three test loads of manure is:

Calibration Test Area (m 2 ) = 92 m × 205 m

= 18,860 m 2 is the estimated area covered by the test loads To convert this to hectares:

Calibration Test Area (ha) = 18,860 m 2 ÷ 10,000 m 2 /ha = 1.89 ha is the calibration test area