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Animal Waste Management Software

  
 Introduction  |  Software  |  Training  |  Support      short url to this page: http://go.usda.govZcr3
  

A critical component of water quality conservation is proper management of animal waste. One of the key factors of animal waste management is the design of one or more storage structures (ponds, tanks, and/or dry stacks) that can store the waste generated for time period recommended by the state and local regulatory agency. The Animal Waste Management (AWM) is developed and supported by the USDA/NRCS and available through this website is a tool to assist in the analysis and design of these facilities. Access to software with documentation and training information. Uses support from a team of NRCS professionals is available.

What is AWM?

AWM is a planning/design tool for waste storage structures for animal feeding operations. It estimates the amount of manure, bedding, and process water based upon the type and number of animals and management followed. This information along with the local climatic factors and other characteristics feed into the design of these facilities. The procedure and calculations used in AWM are based on the USDA-NRCS Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook. The facilities that can be designed and evaluated by AWM include storage ponds, tanks and anaerobic lagoons for liquids; and covered and uncovered dry stacks with or without walls for solids. The evaluation results of an existing facility can be incorporated while designing a new facility. The user can design the new facility for the --Total-- waste generated or for the --Additional-- waste not handled by an existing facility. Some of the other features of AWM include:

Introduction
1.  Manure characteristics for eight animal types with the ability to modify these characteristics
     and add animal types as necessary
2.  Accounting of bedding, wastewater, flush water and other additions to the waste stream.
3.  Tracks liquid and solid wastes produced in multiple locations through multiple waste streams
4.  Develops separation, storage, and treatment components for liquid and solid wastes that are
     defined as a 'Management Train'
5.  Estimates precipitation and runoff entering the 'Management Train'.
6.  Develops a monthly water and waste budget for each terminal treatment/storage component.
7.  Evaluation of existing facilities with color-coded on-screen and printable reports
8.  Possibility of designing a new structure either for the 'Total' waste or for the 'Additional'
     waste not handled by the existing structure
9. Provides a schematic drawing for each terminal treatment/storage component
10. Generates a standard or custom report to document the system design for the 'Total'
     or 'Additional' waste
11. Provides a calculator for converting units and performing computations.