Completing Oxbo’s full line of manure, slurry, and digestate application equipment, the AT5104 is the latest development in this part of Oxbo’s portfolio.

Designed to meet the unique needs of the application industry, the AT5104 features new styling and delivers a “perfect balance of power, traction, comfort, and easy operation”, the company says.

Driver comfort is achieved through a focus on both operator ride quality and ease of operation. The four-wheel chassis was designed to provide a premium ride, reducing driver fatigue during the long work hours during the limited application window.

TerraGator chassis inspires Oxbo AT product line

The AT5104 applies power and torque correctly, without the operator making adjustments, so that it pulls through the most difficult ground conditions, senses the slip and does all the work to keep it applying as normal.

Oxbo says it knows nutrient application, delivering on the 30-year TerraGator legacy in a modern, advanced line of applicators. The proven TerraGator chassis design – known for reliable performance and robust components – inspired the Oxbo AT product line.

The AT line features better usability, better design, and next generation productivity and driver comfort.

Find out more about the Oxbo AT5104.

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The free event will take place on 18th June at Callow Hill Farm in Rugeley from 10am until 2pm. 

Vogelsang’s Andy Hayhurst said: “Garth Farming is an excellent example of how Vogelsang technology can be implemented to make better use of slurry.  

“The Vogelsang team will demonstrate the popular XSplit separator using a trailer-mounted unit and will also have the new XSplit compact, the first separator to be available with a 240-volt power connection.” 

The expert explained that by separating slurry, farmers can reduce the volume being sent to storage by up to 25% and improve the nutrient value of the slurry that is stored. Dry matter can subsequently be used as a soil conditioner or a cost-effective and sustainable bedding material.  

“The XSplit is designed and engineered to be both economical to run and easy to maintain. The drive is arranged on the solid matter outlet side, which gives the XSplit an excellent cost-benefit ratio with no need for an extra shaft seal. This reduces both the cost of spare parts and the time required for maintenance work,” Mr Hayhurst added. 

The Blackbird

Garth Farming also runs Vogelsang’s BlackBird trailing shoe applicator. The Blackbird is offered in the UK with working widths of 12, 15, 18 and 30 metres and has been designed to fit all tanker models thanks to a compact design, making even the largest 30 metre machine easy to transport.  

“The space-saving design of the BlackBird means it is less than three metres wide when folded, which helps bring it in line with transport regulations,” Mr Hayhurst added. 

The event takes place on 18th June at Garth Farming, Callow Hill Farm, WS15 3PJ, and will include free refreshments and catering. For more information, click here.

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A specialist in animal bedding, teat care, and slurry inoculants, EnviroSystems has been shortlisted for prestigious national and regional awards.

Women in Ag 

At the National Women in Agriculture Awards, the company is one of four finalists in the Business of the Year category. 

Founded by Liz Russell in 2001, EnviroSystems has grown steadily over the past two decades, employing a diverse team with a strong contingent of women who continue to lead and drive the business forward.

EnviroSystems is best known for its award-winning EnviroBed product – a hygienic, sustainable bedding made from 100% recycled paper crumble. 

Dried to 95% dry matter using renewable heat, EnviroBed provides dairy producers with an environmentally friendly, low-carbon alternative to traditional bedding. 

The product’s innovation earned the business a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its contribution to sustainable agriculture.

Family business awards 

The company is also a finalist in three categories at the North West Family Business Awards 2025:

• Agri-Business of the Year
• The Green Award
• Manufacturing Excellence.

This year’s awards attracted a record number of entries, with judges praising the high calibre of submissions.

Sue Howorth, co-founder and director of The Family Business Community, said: “The quality of this year’s entries made the judges’ decisions extremely challenging. The finalists should be incredibly proud of their achievements.”

Liz Russell, founder of EnviroSystems, added: “It’s a real honour for our team to be recognised across so many award categories. 

“From day one, we’ve been passionate about creating sustainable solutions that genuinely make a difference on farm, while building a business that values innovation, diversity and environmental responsibility. 

“To be shortlisted alongside so many well-known companies is a proud moment for us all.”

The winners of both awards will be announced at ceremonies in London and Liverpool in early May (6^th and 9^th May).

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Responding to increased demand from the industry, and in line with best practice standards, FM BioEnergy has extended its on-farm biogas leak detection service – and appointed experienced biogas professional Nick Cowie.

Biogas plants are complex, and even the best designed and well-run plant can be subject to biomethane leakage. Losing biomethane in this way creates a number of issues.

Not only is this a significant health and safety risk to staff and the wider community, but unabated methane emissions are a greenhouse gas (GHG) meaning that leaks pollute the environment and exacerbate the very climate change issues that anaerobic digestion aims to resolve.

Furthermore, gas lost to the environment cannot be used for energy generation or grid injection and so represents considerable lost revenue for plant operators.

Leak detection and repair (LDAR) is the combined process of monitoring and repairing these leaks on an ongoing basis, and carrying out LDAR surveys at six- or 12-monthly intervals is an integral part of the Environmental Permit for many plants.

Whether or not it is a permitting requirement, implementing regular LDAR surveys is industry best practice, as per the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association’s (ADBA) Certification Scheme.

Building on experience

FM BioEnergy is already an experienced name in the field of LDAR and has conducted more than 1,000 gas leakage surveys over the last 10 years.

The company has now appointed experienced industry professional Nick Cowie to lead its expanded biogas leak Detection Service.

With more than 15 years’ experience as an on-farm and food waste biogas plant operator, Nick has an innate understanding of AD plant layout and operation and is a Certified Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) camera operator.

Nick explains: “On-farm AD plants are complex with lots of pipework, and having the necessary background knowledge and understanding of them is imperative to our service offering.

“Our upgraded biogas leak detection survey adds to our holistic approach to biogas plant optimisation, from feedstock and silage additives to biological support, and as such is a natural evolution for us.”

New and improved technology

As well as appointing Nick, FM BioEnergy has upgraded to a new EyeCGas 2.0 camera, the most sensitive OGI camera on the market, as used by the Environment Agency.

The EyeCGas 2.0 uses thermal imaging technology for the detection of gas leaks and fugitive emissions.

With built-in emission quantification and wireless capacity, the EyeCGas’s improved sensitivity and thermographic mode, together with on-board media recording and storage, make it the ideal camera for LDAR.

It is certified to meet IEC standards for temperature, humidity, vibration, dust and water intrusion and is the only camera certified for use in Class I Div 2 hazardous environments.

Focus on data

Although every site is unique, a typical LDAR survey from FM BioEnergy takes around half a day on site and results in a detailed report which quantifies any fugitive biomethane emissions, as well as detailing their locations.

The survey covers everything from digesters, storage tanks and CHP units, and includes known high-risk areas such as valves, pipework, joints, covers and seals.

“The report provides a snapshot of your plant at that moment in time and can also be used to prove the absence of leaks where that is the case,” points out Nick.

“We notify the operator of any issues before we leave site. The report itself focuses on the data and provides results in terms of grams and parts per million of biomethane for any detected leaks.”

Since joining the company at the beginning of March, Nick has been kept busy surveying biogas plants across the UK.

FM BioEnergy is also working with ADBA to make it easier for plant operators to access reliable LDAR surveys via the ACDS scheme.

For more information about FM BioEnergy’s extended biogas leak detection service, the EyeCGas 2.0 OGI camera, or any other aspect of LDAR, please visit FM BioEnergy on stand E20 at The World Biogas Expo 2025 at the NEC, Birmingham on 9-10th July 2025. You can also visit the FM Biogas website.

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The university and the School of Sustainable Food and Farming (SSFF), along with industrial partners, elentecBio, Merigan, Stoic Options and Mastek, have been awarded research funding to continue their pioneering work to convert slurry from dairy cows into crop fertilisers, generating water for further use. 

Dr Marie Kirby, senior lecturer at Harper Adams University, said: “There are many potential benefits from slurry, but its application to farmed land is problematic in areas with increased susceptibility to pollution.

“This project will convert slurry from a residue product into something which is more valuable to farmers.” 

Cost-effective method for processing slurry 

This research project was funded by Defra as part of their Farming Innovation Programme Nutrient Management competition, and is managed via Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. 

It will develop elentecBio’s novel technology at farm-scale to separate water for further use and recover phosphorous, nitrogen and organic matter from cattle slurry. 

The technology works through electrocoagulation, a treatment technology that adds an electrical charge to water as a way of recovering nutrients. The separated nutrients can be applied to growing crops, instead of spreading high-water content, low-nutrient slurries or synthetic fertilisers. 

Previous research has demonstrated that elentecBio’s recovered nutrient fractions are highly bioavailable to crops – meaning they can be absorbed easily by the plants – and promote significantly higher crop and root-mass yields compared to slurry and synthetic fertilisers. 

The researchers said that this technology will provide farmers with a cost-effective method for processing slurry, enabling time- and cost-effective nutrient application to land with reduced environmental impacts.  

The recovered nutrients can be sold off-farm, generating new income streams for dairy farmers and compliance with developing environmental legislation. 

‘Compact, robust, scalable process’ 

ElentecBio explained that its technology is modular in design and has been designed to be scalable and retrofitted to existing slurry systems. It has already been demonstrated to work in other industrial applications.  

This new research at Harper Adams University will now appraise commercial-scale technology operation and build different business models designed to fit farmer expectations. 

Dr Jayne Brookman, CEO of elentecBio, said: “We are delighted to receive this award, funded by DEFRA and delivered by Innovate UK. It supports us in our development of a slurry treatment product backed by excellent science.  

“The treatment will deliver a compact, robust, scalable process for efficient fractionation of dairy farm slurry. It will provide farmers with an opportunity to deliver environmental benefits whilst improving their farm profitability.” 

The project is keen to discuss its business models with a range of agricultural stakeholders. 

If you would like more information or are interested in demonstration days for the technology, please contact Sue Crosthwaite at sue@meriganltd.co.uk or visit www.elentecbioag.com 

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The Wales Farmer Safety Partnership (WFSP) explained that hydrogen sulphide can be just as deadly outside as it is in confined spaces, and its toxic fumes can overcome farmers within seconds.

WFSP ambassador Alun Elidyr said: “There is no such thing as a safe slurry tank.

“It is more important than ever that farmers are aware of the risks of the gases in stored slurry with the new Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations in force, with closed periods prohibiting the spreading of slurry and organic manures ranging from 1st August – 31st January, depending on land and crop type.”

Slurry contains multiple gases, including methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide, but the most dangerous of all is hydrogen sulphide.

“Just two or three breaths of this is sufficient to disorient or overcome a person.

“This gas is heavier than air, so it sits a metre or two above the surface of slurry. Anyone putting their head in that space, especially when a tank is agitated, can breathe it in without realising it.

“It has no smell, so you won’t be able to tell if you have been exposed to it,’’ Mr Alun explained.

Introduce a ‘buddy’ system

Agitation, when the tank is mixed to combine the solids and liquid element, is particularly dangerous because this process releases the gases. Livestock can also die from inhaling these fumes.

Mr Alun said that it is vital to adopt the ‘stop and think safe’ mindset before starting a job involving slurry, as is the case with any other farm task.

He advises: “Plan your work, that plan is your risk assessment. It doesn’t have to be written down, but the effect of having considered it is the most important process in your day, whether it is working with slurry, handling livestock, dipping sheep, working at height.’’

Financial and labour challenges and changes to farm practices mean that farmers often work alone, and this presents its own risks in these situations.

The expert reckons that a ‘buddy’ system, which is commonplace among foresters and involves lone workers checking in at agreed times with someone, would be highly beneficial for many farming operations, including slurry work.

“The ideal situation is that no farmer should be working alone, especially in high-risk situations, but when they are, I know of instances when the buddy system has saved lives,” Mr Alun added.

He also stressed the importance of following a safe system of working and assuming that hazardous gases are present around slurry, and to mitigate the danger.

A slurry gas monitor, which can cost less than £200, is advised, although WFSP cautions that they should not be completely relied upon.

Mr Alun concluded: “It is a grey area because anything over 200 parts per million (ppm) can be a danger, but there might be a breeze blowing through a shed with underground storage, and you don’t feel the effects but suddenly a bubble of gas rises and the level shoots up to 500ppm, which can have a life-threatening effect.”

He said farmers owe it to themselves and to the industry to do everything possible to prevent accidents from happening.

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Sockett Farm Machinery’s slurry specialist, Richard Sockett suggests that just a little time and care can make the difference between equipment working well and failing.

“Equipment stored over winter may not have been cleaned or oiled sufficiently and will need a thorough visual inspection before use. A common macerator unit like Vogelsang’s ExaCut only has one grease chamber, so it is easy to check and it is advised that it’s given a few pumps of grease every few days to make sure it’s well-greased for smooth operation,” he says.

Easy checks to perform

“I always suggest regular stone trap checks, especially for contractors that work an ever-changing range of farms,” Richard adds.

He suggests checking connections throughout a slurry applicator, be it tanker mounted or umbilical, is essential to avoid any spillages.

“Checking pipes for tears and making sure the connections are all tight before sending slurry through the applicator is really important, especially for systems that run at a higher-than-average hydraulic flow,” he explains.

The hydraulic flow of a macerator such as the ExaCut can run at 40 litres per minute. However, Richard says this is often too high for real world operation.

“I would look to operate at 15-20 litres a minute. A higher speed is only needed for slurry with a higher fibre content. Running at slower speeds will reduce the strain on the macerator and extend its working life,” he adds.

Whilst many checks can be made in the yard, Richard recommends that a thorough service is also advised each year, especially for any wearing metal parts.

“If the wearing metal is worn, the macerator should be disassembled, removing the side plate and rotor to replace the blades and cutting rings. When doing so, it’s a necessity to reset the eccentric adjusters and replace the sponge seal,” he concludes.

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Offering maximum variety in a single series, the Blackbird range of trailing shoes come in four distinct model ranges, that are available in a variety of working widths from 7.5–30m, and Farmers Guide experienced several of the range in the field, with Vogelsang export manager agriculture, Hubert Schmidt talking through the details.

Vogelsang has also launched the X-Split slurry separator and a new macerator pump, both of which we were given demos of during a brief factory tour.

Founded in 1929, it was not until 1970 that Vogelsang ventured into the market they are known for today with the second generation of Vogelsangs inventing a rotary lobe pump.

By 1980 they were producing dribble bars and today the company is run by the third generation and is known almost exclusively for pumping, shredding, mixing and separating difficult substances. While agriculture does amount to around 30% of its business, Vogelsang is also prominent in biogas, wastewater, transportation and industrial industries.

X-Split

The new X-Split separator is said to be low-maintenance and easy to service. It combines a flexible stainless-steel screen with options for 0.5mm, 1.0mm and 2.0mm sieve screens with a robust stainless-steel auger. Sieve elements can be replaced individually and easily, and it can deliver flow rates of up to 45m3 per hour, with a dry matter content of up to 40% of the digestate or slurry.

The X-Split uses an elastomer sealing disc at the solids outlet and this is where the drive motor is also mounted to keep it safely away from any liquid. The pressing area can be quickly adjusted using a threaded spindle for a higher dry matter content. The separator can be supplied on a fixed or lifting frame with a variety of control options depending on the end user’s needs.

ExaCut ECM

The macerator, or distribution head, is the heart of every trailing shoe or dribble bar and Vogelsang says it is dedicated to making them the best they can be.

The ExaCut ECQ macerator, with its innovative eccentric adjuster, is the top-of-the-range model and available on all Blackbird models, but there is a new option, which comes with some unique benefits.

The latest ExaCut ECM eliminates the stop/start delivery that you often get with macerators due to the breather sucking in air, which can result in uneven slurry distribution.

There are no breathers on the ECM, so the delivery is not disturbed by air and the pressure in the chamber is constant, meaning the feed to the shoes is uninterrupted. This has been achieved with a completely redesigned cutter plate, and the whole unit is more compact and lightweight than the ECQ and comes with low wear and a long service life. Cutting knife life on the new ECM is expected to be around 60,000m3+.

When maintenance is required, the ExaCut ECQ is simpler, as the whole inner assembly slides out through a side opening in the case. It is said that it can be dismantled, serviced and put back together within an hour.

The ECM, on the other hand, is a little more involved as the compact body means that dismantling will need to be undertaken from the end plate with its numerous hose connections. The ECM also requires a slightly higher operating pressure at 0.3bar, compared to 0.2bar for the ECQ.

A single ECM or ECQ is good for injectors up to around 12m working width, with duel, triple or quadruple distribution heads used on larger bars. In the test area we were given a demonstration of the ECM’s ability to deal with solids during which we were invited to feed metal wire and rope into the macerator, which it dealt with effortlessly.

The Blackbird family

Originally launched in 2019/20 with 15 and 18m models, the Blackbird series has been revamped and relaunched under four new ranges, with a brief to make them lighter and stronger. The principles are similar to other injector bars, with a centrally mounted distributer head/macerator on the smaller models and two, three or four on the larger bars.

On every Blackbird the hose routing is optimised to ensure an even and consistent distribution to all outlets, with Vogelsang’s own tests indicating a maximum time of two seconds for liquid to reach all outlets at the start of spreading, with some smaller models taking less than one second, and a variable coefficient between outlets of no more than 1.4%.

They also come with a unique design of trailing shoe to deliver an even, narrow and vertical flow of slurry over the entire outlet length and have 12kg active pressure on the skids. The plastic, or cast iron and rubber, shoes are mounted on leaf springs and use minimal components for a simple assembly and reliable service. The shoes are also available in a double spout option for 12.5cm row spacings.

They come with four-point mounting or direct attachment, 3D collision protection on each side, mechanical or hydraulic section control, LED boom lighting, and DropStop spill prevention by swivelling the boom upwards when work is finished.

Blackbird Single

Named due to its one, centrally-mounted, ECL or ECQ distribution head, the single is available in 7.5, 9.0, 10.5 and 12m working widths and is ideally suited to small farms. When combined with a 2.0m tank width, the single folds up to deliver a 2.55m transport width.

It comes with a slimmed down and optimised rear frame for ease of installation and a low overall weight, with the range starting at just 870kg for the 7.5m version, increasing to 1,050kg for the 12m model.

The single range does not come with support wheels but does include Vogelsang’s 3D collision protection on all but the smallest model. The single is available with limited options to deliver an affordable trailing shoe.

Blackbird Pro

Currently available in two models – a 12m and 15m – the range is due to be extended to include an 18m version in the future. Both models offer weight savings over the outgoing versions, with the 12m coming in at 1,475kg – a saving of 175kg – and the 15m model shaving 200kg off the weight of the previous model at 1,550kg.

The Pro comes with two of the new ECM distribution heads, or ECQ if the customer prefers, and a transport width when folded of 2.99m. As the name suggests, it is offered as a ‘professional’ solution and as such comes with a wide range of options making it very individually configurable. The Pro is available with full headland management, which gives one button flow stop and fold, and one button unfold and flow start when lined up and ready to go again.

Blackbird Light

The Light range is, in effect, a lightweight version of the Pro and comes with fewer options. Like the Pro it is available in 12.0m and 15.0m versions with a transport width of 2.99m and comes with 3D collision protection, and uses two ECM macerators. However, the Light range uses plastic skids, as opposed to cast iron ones on the Pro.

Wear differences between the plastic and cast-iron skids are said to be negligible, with Vogelsang reporting no noticeable difference.

It has support wheels, and the same arms as the Pro, but comes with a more simplified mounting frame that continues to offer durability, but aids in keeping the weight down to 1,325kg and 1,400kg respectively.

Blackbird Max

The Max trailing shoe is still at the prototype stage and not yet commercially available, but we were still able to see the test model in the field during our visit. Available as a single model, the Max comes with four-stage folding that delivers three different working widths from one machine, with options to set it up at 21m, 24m and 30m working widths.

It comes with four distribution heads and the cab operated automatic section control will individually close off outlets that are folded and not being used when operating the Max at anything other than its full size. It does this via individual ‘balloons’ in each of the outlets that are inflated to close off the non-used hoses.

It can also have manual section control whereby hoses are closed off with valves at the distribution head when not needed. The Max can deliver a flow rate of up to 14,000 litres per minute and weighs in at 5,800kg.

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Messrs William Forrest was served the Fixed Monetary Penalty (FMP) by SEPA as the business failed to comply with a General Binding Rule designed to protect the water environment from spills. 

Slurry storage systems need to be managed carefully to ensure the distance from the top of the store to the slurry level, known as freeboard, is maintained. This minimises the potential for slurry overtopping and escaping, the Scottish regulator said. 

There are different freeboard levels for different types of lagoons. For earth banked lined lagoons, the freeboard requirement is 750mm.  

However, when SEPA officers visited the farm in January and February 2024, they found that two slurry lagoons were full, and levels were not being managed in a way to maintain the required freeboard. 

Pollution to surface and ground waters 

SEPA said it is satisfied that Messrs William Forrest was found to have carried out a controlled activity referred to in Part 1 of schedule 3 of CAR 2011 of failing to comply with a general binding rule and an FMP is appropriate in this case. 

Stephen Field, SEPA’s national rural unit manager, added: “Slurry is a valuable source of nutrients on the farm, but if it’s not managed correctly and escapes from a storage system, it can cause pollution to both surface and ground waters.  

“In this incident, the 750mm freeboard level was not maintained, which greatly increased the risk of slurry overtopping and escaping.  

“It is a reminder of why it’s important that farmers are mindful of freeboard levels and what can happen if they are not maintained.” 

SEPA added that its staff have undertaken extensive work, including pollution prevention inspections, in the Dumfries Coastal priority catchment and have been working with the farming sector, offering advice and guidance on how to become and remain compliant with the regulations.    

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The trailer enables contractors to offer separation as a service or can be used on farm to separate slurry or digestate in almost all locations.

“The new XSplit trailer is much lighter than previous versions and will come with the option of a remote-control system that can be operated using a mobile phone,” explains Vogelsang’s Andy Hayhurst.

The 4G enabled remote control technology, that can be linked to a phone and is part of a new control system available on the ‘expert’ model, brings with it greater flexibility and reliability.

“The new remote system will enable one operator to use the trailer unit more safely. For greater safety it also features two boxes, one for high and another for low voltage,” says Mr Hayhurst.

Mounted on the brand’s Pro Frame, the XSplit weighs in at 3.1 tonnes and has been designed to sit low to the ground for better stability and balance during transport and operation.

“15mm rubber discs seal the whole chamber so operators will not have to form a plug manually. Time is also saved by the dry matter content adjustment which is both quick and easily.

“These small but important differences make the XSplit safer, especially for operators who may not be accustomed to using separators,” Mr Hayhurst adds.

As demand for separation grows, trailer systems offer the option to have slurry separated, on occasion, to help free up space, or to separate slurry in harder-to-reach storage.

“The new trailer offers all the functionality of the XSplit in a light, mobile package that can help safety-manage slurry in multiple locations, and we believe that with the pressures livestock farms face that it will be a welcome solution,” concludes Mr Hayhurst.

Visit the Vogelsang website for more information.

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