Neil has been involved in the Agricultural Machinery Business for around 26 years. Before that, he was an Agricultural Engineering student at Harper Adams and a dairy farmer’s son. In his own words, he is well-grounded in the industry and able to assist with most things involving slurry, from the back end of the cow to the application of slurry onto the field.
Storth was set up by Chris Richardson and Alan Looker in 1999 when their previous employer, Malgar, went into administration. They started fabricating parts for automatic scraper systems in a small shed in Alan’s dad’s backyard. Today, they sell over 60 products, have three workshops, and a full-time staff of 60 who continually develop their waste management systems, including a range of products suitable for the industrial, water, and Anaerobic Digestion market sectors.
I spoke to Neil about various aspects of slurry, including how to successfully manage applications and some top tips.
Q. What considerations should farmers make when setting out to replace or build a new slurry store?
A. The big one is that farmers should try to concentrate on the future. Many stores have stood for more than 30 years, and there is no reason why new stores today should not stand for longer, given the quality and technology of coatings. I know it’s hard to predict the future, but I am unaware of anyone who cursed themselves for putting a store in that was too big. It is a bit like buying a farm or house; although painful, it’s best to stretch yourself to a maximum at the start to make the most of things at the end and for future generations.
Unfortunately, the upfront cost often drives the slurry store purchasing decision. It is not seen as an item that adds value to a business; decisions are taken at face value. Take, for instance, a lagoon. It is much cheaper on day one, but how much rainwater will be dealt with over the next 30 years and at what cost?
Q. What about capacity? Is it all based on cow numbers?
A. We used to help and advise a little, but this was always tricky as we had no clear idea about rainfall, yard water, or milking systems, which heavily influenced the water within the slurry. These days, DEFRA has many valuable tools, such as the “Slurry Wizard,” to help farmers calculate the size of the store required.
Q. Are slurry stores “bog-standard”, or are there different specs?
A. Is anything bog-standard these days? If I go shopping for baked beans, there are about ten different brands and flavours to choose from. So, a simple answer is no. In short, with tin tanks, you can buy an entry-level Agricultural tank with coating tested to 12V, an Agri-Industrial tank tested to 1100V, and an Industrial tank tested at 1500V. While the first option is the cheapest and could be good enough (many of the stores which have stood for 30 years are this spec), they are not suitable for covering. I am sceptical about storing AD waste. Storth enters the market with the second option.
We have taken the long-term view that stores should last longer than before, be capable of holding a wider variety of materials and be strong enough to cover or extend in the future. The third option, industrial, lends itself to AD plants, which is the specification we use for our cow slurry Anaerobic Digesters (AD).
Q. Are slurry equipment providers required by law to explain regulations to customers, or is that their “look-out”?
A. No, we are not required by law to explain regulations. However, we know them and try to help customers make the right decisions based on current and future legislation.
Most of the sales team and many within the factory have close links to farms and agriculture. We always try our best and do the right thing for our customers.
Q. What about scraper considerations?
A. Chain, hydraulic, or rope: we have three automatic scraper options, which enable us to suggest the best option depending on the farm’s layout. Many manufacturers do not
have the full range and often try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Systems need to be right from day one, especially for dairy farms.
Q. Do Storth have scraper systems unique to the marketplace?
A. We have a few unique features within each product, but I wouldn’t say we have anything “unique” to the market, if I am being honest.
Q. How have things changed over the years in slurry management to what’s necessary today?
A. The most significant change over the most recent times is that slurry is now being treated as an asset with real nutrient value rather than a waste product to be dispatched as quickly as possible. This change came when Russia invaded Ukraine, the source of many artificial fertiliser factories; prices went sky-high, and farmers had to consider other options. It has led to real growth and interest in separators and application equipment sales. Although slurry equipment does not quite hold the glamorous status of grass machinery, it is certainly getting there, and the industry understands the importance of slurry.
