In Denmark, stringent new regulations, placing strict time limits on manure application and setting thresholds for nitrogen utilisation, have been imposed in order to increase the efficiency of uptake of plant nutrients from manure. An important factor in meeting these requirements is the use of operational and cost-effective animal manure handling technologies.

An assessment tool covering the whole chain of the manure handling system from the animal houses to the field has been developed. The tool enables a system-oriented evaluation of labour demand, machinery capacity and costs related to the handling of manure. By applying the tool to a pig farm and a dairy farm scenario, the competitiveness of new technologies was compared with traditional manure handling.

The concept of a continuous flow of transport and application of slurry using umbilical transportation systems rather than traditional tanker transport may reduce labour requirements, increase capacity, and open up new ways for reducing ammonia emission. In its most efficient configuration, the use of umbilical systems may reduce the labour requirement by about 40% and increase capacity by 80%. However, these systems are costly and will only be profitable for annual applications above 45 000 t.