Teagasc warns of soiled water difficulties

TEAGASC stands over its definition of soiled water, but has warned farmers that the Department of Agriculture’s interpretation is the definition they must now adhere to, and this will cause difficulties, especially for some winter milk producers.

In the Today’s Farm magazine sent to clients, Teagasc says the Department’s definition has implications for farmers with slatted tanks in collecting yards. Up to now, wash water from these areas has been treated as soiled water.

However, the Department has accepted that the vast majority of spring calving dairy herds on farms with ten days storage for the collecting area, and normal winter slurry storage sufficient for 16 to 22 weeks, could and would be deemed to have adequate storage, and could empty the contents of tanks in collecting yards into their slurry tanks as required during the closed season when slurry cannot be spread.