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Products Improve Manure Waste Naturally
PitCharger offers a range of bacteria and enzyme products that build soil health, break down manure, reduce odorous gases, and eliminate crust and flies to improve animal health and human working conditions. “We offer products and services that cover all problems that involve manure and its containment systems,” says Tim Kremer, PitCharger representative.
The original PitCharger formula contains 51 anaerobic, aerobic, and multi-facultative bacteria strains. In recent years, the company has expanded to offer a more diverse product line.
“Twenty years ago, there were one or two manure issues facing livestock farmers, maybe crusts or solids,” says Kremer. “But today, as you fix one problem, another pops up. Farmers are facing more complexity than before.” As one example, he explains that the average manure pit was 5 percent solids and 95 percent water in 2005. “Now those same pits are 10 percent solids, 90 percent water due to higher fiber diets and other changes,” says Kremer. “That might seem like a small change, but it’s a 200 percent increase in floating manure. There’s less oxygen in the water, and conditions become anaerobic. That affects bacteria levels for breaking down the solids.”
Due to this complexity, PitCharger primarily sells products through consultation. Explains Kremer, “That’s a big difference between us and our competitors. We speak directly with each customer to determine what ratios and quantities of products they need. Ninety percent of our phone calls are about specific problems. Then we’ll recommend a custom treatment regimen and provide precise application instructions.”
Several products are available, including a manure digester to reduce solids and maintain your manure system long-term, LTC-E (lagoon treatment concentrate and enzymes), Feed Digester for breaking down feed spills, and ORB (odor-reducing bacteria). The company also sells a defoamer for use when hauling active manure. It can produce a 19-in. drop in foam in just 20 min. after use. “Our goal is to solve the main manure problems so that farms get back into equilibrium,” he says. “Then farmers can maintain order with our standard mix, still sold for just $50 a gallon.”
Ordering PitCharger is a nuanced process. The company’s customer service will ask numerous questions to understand all aspects of your operation, including the type of livestock, number of head, stage of production, your manure management system, and overall goals for the manure. The amount of PitCharger necessary depends on the size of your operation and production stage. Using pigs as an example, 1 gal. works per 1,000 hogs per month.
The product is shipped out in 5-gal. buckets filled to the amount necessary for monthly application. 55-gal. drums and 250-gal. totes are available for lagoon treatments. The treatment should be applied within 30 to 45 days of receipt and stored in a cool environment beforehand. If it accidentally freezes, the bacteria will go dormant until a thaw and should retain most of its potency afterward.
“Just reach out directly,” says Kremer. “We’ll help you figure out what will work best.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, PitCharger, 9950 N. 225th St., Elkhorn, Neb. 68022 (ph 878-203-1678; info@pitcharger.com; www.pitcharger.com).


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2024 - Volume #48, Issue #5