Slurry and dairy soiled water volume estimates – Final data summary
A survey of 100 farms was conducted to assess current volumes of dairy soiled water (DSW) and slurry produced on dairy farms. The project ran from October 2022 to March 2025, beginning with a winter 2022/23 phase to refine measurement methods and collect baseline data, followed by full-scale nationwide monitoring.
By Teagasc
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Current regulations require an allowance of 0.33 m3(330 Litres) per cow per week for slurry storage and 0.21m3(210 litres) per cow per week for soiled water storage, plus an allowance for rainfall runoff from any adjacent uncovered areas contributing.
This monitoring programme was put in place in full in the first half of 2023. On each selected farm, a number of surveys were completed to catalogue both the storage facilities and the typical management with regard to stock, parlour details, washing routine, uncovered areas and potential additional sources (rainwater, silage effluent etc.). In each independent storage tank, measuring equipment was installed to continuously monitor the volumes stored.