Manure Management Matters: Addressing the Unique Needs of Feedyards & Dairies

Let’s be honest—manure management isn’t the flashiest topic in agriculture, but if you get it wrong, you’ll know real fast (and so will your neighbors). Whether you run a high-capacity feedyard or a dairy operation, handling manure efficiently is the difference between a well-run facility and a regulatory nightmare.

At MJE, LLC, we don’t just build feedyards and dairies—we build smarter, more efficient manure management systems that turn a necessary task into an opportunity. Whether you’re keeping feedyard pens dry or maximizing nutrient retention in a dairy operation, designing the right manure management system isn’t just about compliance—it’s about making life easier, saving money, and maybe even turning waste into a resource.

So, let’s talk about it—because if there’s one thing we know, it’s how to handle a lot of crap.

Feedyards vs. Dairies: Why One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work

Manure isn’t just manure. If you’ve worked in both feedyards and dairies, you know that handling cattle waste in these two industries is about as similar as raising beef cattle and running a yoga studio.

Feedyards deal primarily with solid, dry waste. Efficient collection and storage are critical because the manure builds up quickly, and moving it at the right time ensures a cleaner, healthier environment for your cattle.
Dairies, on the other hand, handle high-moisture manure. Between flushing systems, lagoons, and separating solids from liquids, it’s a different game altogether.

You wouldn’t take a feedyard manure strategy and slap it on a dairy operation—and yet, too often, we see facility designs that don’t consider these key differences. That’s where a custom approach makes all the difference.

Feedyard Manure Management: Getting It Right from the Start

When designing a feedyard, manure management isn’t an afterthought—it’s part of the blueprint. At MJE, we:

Optimize pen slope and drainage to direct manure to ditches or basins before it ever reaches the lagoon.
Design pens for easy access so manure can be collected efficiently without disrupting operations.
Factor in local climate conditions (because frozen manure in January and sludge in July are two very different beasts).

And while solid manure may seem easier to deal with than liquid, the challenge is in removal and storage. Skip a few cleanings, and suddenly, you’re not just managing manure—you’re staring down a concrete-like mess that laughs in the face of a skid steer.

Dairy Manure Management: It’s a Fluid Situation

Dairies are a whole different ballgame. Here, the manure isn’t just collected—it’s separated, stored, and often repurposed.

The key challenges?

Keeping solids out of the lagoon—once manure reaches the lagoon, cleanup is time-consuming and expensive.
Efficient scraping and flushing systems to keep barns and holding areas clean.
Managing lagoon capacity—because a full lagoon is about as useful as a flat tire on a feed truck.

Since dairy cows spend more time in their pens than feedyard cattle, their manure must be handled more frequently. This means more labor, more planning, and more strategy to keep everything running smoothly.

Why Custom Design Matters

No two operations are the same. That’s why MJE works with each client to design feedyards and dairies that fit their manure management needs.

Climate, topography, and soil type—all factor into how waste moves and is stored.
State regulations—designing facilities that keep you compliant (and out of trouble).
Future growth—because today’s feedyard might be tomorrow’s expanded operation.

Let’s not forget the rise of biogas technology—with proper manure capture some producers are turning their waste into a profit stream rather than a problem.

Final Thoughts: Embracing the Business of Bovine Waste

Manure is inevitable. Mess is optional.

A well-designed manure management system is the difference between a smooth-running, profitable operation and one that’s constantly fighting against its own waste stream. Whether you run a feedyard or a dairy, the right system will save time, cut costs, and make regulatory compliance a lot less painful.

At MJE, we specialize in turning a messy problem into a well-managed system. Want to talk manure? (We promise, we’re good at it.) Let’s get to work.

What’s Next?

Manure management is just the start of running a more efficient, compliant, and profitable feedyard or dairy. But knowing the basics is one thing—putting the right systems in place is another.

Coming up next in our series:

Stay tuned for Part 2: The Smart Way to Manage Feedyard Manure! We’ll dive deep into Feedyard Manure Management—how to handle high-volume dry waste efficiently, minimize dust and runoff, and keep your operation compliant.

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3.12.25