Under the right conditions, liquid manure will break down into biogas and a low-odor effluent. Biogas can be burned to produce heat, electricity, or both the anaerobically-digested manure, can be stored and applied to fields with significantly less odor than stored, untreated liquid manure. Anaerobic digestion does not reduce the volume or nutrient value of manure. If dilution water is added to the system, the volume of material to handle is increased.The following test can help you determine if anaerobic digestion is a viable option for your farm. If most of the following statements describe your farm, anaerobic digestion may be compatible with your operation.Manure is currently handled as a liquid. Very little bedding or frozen manure is handled and the manure in the handling system is free from high levels of copper sulfate and antibiotics.Odor control is a major concern.There is space on the farm to expand the manure handling system with the possibility for gravity flow from a barn to an anaerobic digester or from a digester to a manure storage.Someone on the farm has the interest, time, and technical skills to learn about the anaerobic digestion process, make repairs, and perform general maintenance on equipment.Resources are available to finance an anaerobic digestion system.Adhering to recommended safety practices is standard procedure on the farm
