Slurry storage capacity & covers: future-proof your dairy

At Spreadwise, we see the same pattern across busy dairy units: storage isn’t just a permit box-tick, it’s the single decision that dictates your flexibility, costs, and risk through winter and early spring. With wetter spells and tighter application windows, the farm that can comfortably hold slurry until crops and ground conditions are ready is the farm that spreads less often, in better conditions, and with more nutrient value per load.

When stores are marginal, the opposite happens with forced moves, higher contracting hours, and diluted material that costs more to move and delivers less to the crop. In short, capacity is not a “nice to have”; it’s the foundation for compliant, low-emission, profitable slurry management.

Getting capacity right for your farm

Capacity calculations start with your real world, not a template. We begin by looking at the number and classes of stock, days housed, the parlour and wash routine, and how much clean water is currently slipping into the dirty system via roofs, yards and drains. Bedding choice matters too: sand, straw and cubicle management all affect volumes and pumpability. Finally, we model rainfall for your site rather than relying on averages.

One step we encourage is to measure rather than assume. A fortnight of recorded tanker loads or flow-meter readings during peak housing gives us a strong baseline to scale for the season. From there, we size for the closed or consistently wet period and add a sensible buffer with enough headroom to ride out storm weeks, breakdowns, or delayed first cuts. The goal is to create breathing space so decisions are driven by agronomy, not by a rising slurry level.

Why a cover changes the economics

Once capacity is sized correctly, the next highest-impact upgrade is a cover. Whether fixed or floating, a cover keeps rain out and nutrients in. In practice, that means fewer unnecessary loads, lower diesel per hectare, and denser material that delivers more nitrogen where the plant can use it. It also helps with ammonia reduction and odour control, both increasingly important for compliance and for relationships with neighbours.

On the handling side, a covered store tends to crust more predictably, making agitation and pumping quicker and less stressful. Choosing the right cover is about matching the solution to the structure. We can design in the little details that save time later, such as safe hatches, level sensors, and service routes that don’t require heroic contortions when February rolls around.

Think system, not silo

Slurry storage is only as good as the system that feeds and empties it. On many farms, the bottleneck isn’t the store at all but reception capacity, transfer pumping, or the consistency of the material arriving at the applicator. This is where separation earns its keep. By removing a proportion of solids, we reduce volume and improve pumpability; tankers and umbilicals run more smoothly, and trailing shoes or dribble bars do the precise job they’re designed for. The fibre fraction becomes a managed product in its own right.

We pay close attention to mixing strategy and inlet/outlet design, so there are no dead zones and no surprises on agitation day. Where customers are heading toward precision applications, we integrate in-line NIR sensing, which allows you to apply to RB209 targets and document nutrient applications for audits and assurance schemes. Finally, we standardise outlets and hose sets so you can choose between umbilical and tanker depending on conditions and field layout, rather than being locked into one approach.

Phasing the upgrade and paying for it

Budgets matter, so we tend to phase projects for maximum early impact. First, we “stop the holes”: divert clean water off roofs and yards and tidy up drains so your store holds slurry, not rain. It’s not glamorous work, but it often frees up weeks of effective storage. Next, we deliver the capacity and cover so the farm regains control of timing. Only then do we layer in efficiency and precision separators, NIR, and low-emission applicators so that each load counts and each pass is quicker.

Where grant support is available, it pays to align specifications early. We make sure cover designs, separation units, and LESS applicators meet the scheme criteria while still fitting your system. Even without support, the operational savings, fewer trips, better nutrient recovery, and using less fuel often brings payback within normal finance terms. We’ll model that with you, using your actual field blocks, haul distances, and crop plan, so the numbers reflect your business.

What good looks like on farm

When a system is right-sized and covered, you notice it quickly. The store rises more slowly in wet weeks. The slurry you move is consistent and higher in nutrient density. Contractors turn around fields faster, and the application fits the crop rather than the calendar. The team spends less time firefighting and more time farming. Perhaps most importantly, you feel prepared: a spell of bad weather is an inconvenience, not a crisis.

So, how can we help?

Our approach is hands-on and farm-first. We’ll visit, measure, and model; then we’ll design the store and cover alongside the pumps, separation, mixing and outlets that make the whole system work.

If you want to keep future options open, such as shifting between tanker and umbilical, adding NIR later, or scaling for herd growth, we can build that flexibility in from day one. And if you’re juggling grant timelines or planning permissions, we’ll coordinate specifications and paperwork so the process is as smooth as the final system.

If storage has been a pressure point or if you’re planning to expand, we’d be happy to map a practical route from your current setup to a covered, compliant, and efficient system. Spreadwise offer a full range of equipment and slurry solutions that can be customised to meet your needs.