Free range chickens in the Wye Valley

[Exfarmer]

Report in the Times today that is blaming increasing pollution in the river Wye on the number of Free range egg producers in the valley. It claims the Average 32,000 bird site will be producing 800 tonnes of muck a year. What do NVZ controls have to say about this?
I expect there are free range pigs in the area too which do not have grass in paddocks to soak up the nutrients.
I suspect not long ago these same critics were complaining about these same animals confined in buildings all their lives, is this what it will come to, a cycle of housing, then free range and back again?

 

[Suffolk Serf]

I doubt that there's many outdoor pigs of any scale in the Wye valley.
The slight conflict between welfare and environment has been a constant theme in livestock production, at its most basic, nose ringing pigs or not-ground cover or not. Large intensive units governed by IPCC permitting rules would be particularly good environmentally.

 

[Exfarmer]

I doubt that there's many outdoor pigs of any scale in the Wye valley.
The slight conflict between welfare and environment has been a constant theme in livestock production, at its most basic, nose ringing pigs or not-ground cover or not. Large intensive units governed by IPCC permitting rules would be particularly good environmentally.

I can assure you that I did not mean this as another dig at free range, I know I have in the past on welfare grounds. Sadly I suspect this issue will used as another cudgel by the vegan groups. Another issue I suspect in the equation will be maize growing, most likely for green energy

 

[delilah]

is this what it will come to, a cycle of housing, then free range and back again?

What it will come to, in a sane future, is a return to pigs, poultry and other livestock being spread more evenly around the country, rather than concentrated in ever smaller geographic areas. Indoor or outdoor, they produce sh!t, the sh!t needs spreading more evenly around the country. But that will only happen - a reversal in concentration in production - in parallel with a reversal in packing and processing, which will only happen in parallel with a reversal in the concentration of market share in retailing. it's all connected. Market share is the root of all evil.

 

[Pistonbroke]

A few sheds close to me have got past planning by saying all the muck will be trailered to an AD plant ten miles away. Planners obviously don't think chickens crap outdoors. Another one just applied for a new sheep shed ( easy ) and put all the egg laying kit in the old one without telling anyone. That farm joins a tributary of the Wye where the whole valley is an SSSI and never would have got permission due to run off risk but all legal now

 

[kmo]

Welsh farmers hit back at River Wye algae claims

Welsh farming leaders have criticised claims made by environmentalists that poultry farms have caused the River Wye to turn green with algae.

www.farminguk.com

I doubt you'd get 800 tonnes of muck a year from one.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Also three broiler sheds being built within an eight mile radius,all in the catchment area of the Wye. Not free range but the muck has to go somewhere and not much of it will be ploughed in so will be on steepish slopes on grass. Salmon numbers not looking hopeful in the future

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Report in the Times today that is blaming increasing pollution in the river Wye on the number of Free range egg producers in the valley. It claims the Average 32,000 bird site will be producing 800 tonnes of muck a year. What do NVZ controls have to say about this?
I expect there are free range pigs in the area too which do not have grass in paddocks to soak up the nutrients.
I suspect not long ago these same critics were complaining about these same animals confined in buildings all their lives, is this what it will come to, a cycle of housing, then free range and back again?

Most of the muck will come off the belts in the house , them carted away to livestock farm, the two I know if ship it to the Cotswolds 150 miles or more by road

 

[vantage]

Most of the muck will come off the belts in the house , them carted away to livestock farm, the two I know if ship it to the Cotswolds 150 miles or more by road

Eh? It’s about 68 miles from Hay on Wye to the Cotswolds, is that from sheds near you?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Eh? It’s about 68 miles from Hay on Wye to the Cotswolds, is that from sheds near you?

I said two I know of, I take all the muck from a local one when hes not using it . Just checked mileage. My mate is hauling 190 miles

 

[Gong Farmer]

Just another anti-meat effort.

 

[goodevans]

Welsh farmers hit back at River Wye algae claims

Welsh farming leaders have criticised claims made by environmentalists that poultry farms have caused the River Wye to turn green with algae.

www.farminguk.com

I doubt you'd get 800 tonnes of muck a year from one.

.137kgs a day ,out of interest how much does a hen eat a day and what does an egg weigh

 

[goodevans]

Welsh farmers hit back at River Wye algae claims

Welsh farming leaders have criticised claims made by environmentalists that poultry farms have caused the River Wye to turn green with algae.

www.farminguk.com

I doubt you'd get 800 tonnes of muck a year from one.

.137kgs a day ,out of interest how much does a hen eat a day and what does an egg weigh

 

[betweenthelines]

The newspaper is wrong in it's assumption.

Muck/slurry run off into rivers is due to one time heavy application (25-50tonnes/hectare) to the fields. Free range stock deposit their waste over 365 days so I doubt there's any runoff at all from free range animals.

 

[betweenthelines]

The newspaper is wrong in it's assumption.

Muck/slurry run off into rivers is due to one time heavy application (25-50tonnes/hectare) to the fields. Free range stock deposit their waste over 365 days so I doubt there's any runoff at all from free range animals.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Hen muck is spread at 2 ton per acre and being quite dry I have never seen and run off .in fact it's hard to see once applied . Not like cow slurry then

 

[Exfarmer]

The newspaper is wrong in it's assumption.

Muck/slurry run off into rivers is due to one time heavy application (25-50tonnes/hectare) to the fields. Free range stock deposit their waste over 365 days so I doubt there's any runoff at all from free range animals.

properly applied manure at the right time and incorporated , surely should not run off , although there will be leaching if overdone. But muck deposited at the wrong time, through the winter months when the surface is waterlogged is another matter entirely, especially if there are any slopes involved

 

[lloyd]

The river wye is 134 miles long ,which parts are most affected?
Back a few months ago alot of the wye valley was under water so
God knows what ended up in it.

 

[maen]

How many of the poultry houses in thIs area Are Grant Aided?

 

[Agriimark]

What a load of rubbish. Just something else to use as a reason for algae. Construction activity, dredging and weedkiller have been used as reasons before. Not the fact it is a slow moving river, rivers low and temperatures high.