The closed period for slurry spreading ends on Thursday 13 January for counties in zone A and on Sunday 16 January for those counties in zone B.

No matter how long you have been farming, always keep safety in mind when working with slurry. Accidents can easily happen when complacency sets in.

Always keep young children and pets away from sheds and machinery when working with slurry.

Mixing slurry

When mixing slurry, the gases released during agitating can be lethal, especially during the first few minutes after starting the pump.

Ideally, mixing should be carried out on a windy day to displace slurry gases. However, in reality, this is not always an option.

If mixing slurry on a calm day, keep shed doors open and minimise the amount of time spent in sheds. If possible, moving cattle from sheds to handling pens is a good idea when mixing.

Tankers

When it comes to tankers, always adjust the vacuum settings before engaging the PTO to start filling loads, reducing the risk of accidents occurring.

Modern tractors usually have a button for engaging the PTO from outside, making this process much more practical than having to re-enter the tractor cab.

When leaving the yard to empty loads, make sure the filling point and any tank openings are properly covered. Never leave an open tank unattended.

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