Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Crab Orchard Creek Watershed TMDL Implementation Plan
Final Report 49
required to form and turn the piles. Cost estimates for composting systems have not been well
documented and show a wide variation even for the same type of system. Costs are presented in Table 5-
18 based on studies conducted in Wisconsin, Canada, and Indiana.
Researchers in Wisconsin estimated the costs of a windrow composting system using four combinations
of machinery and labor (CIAS, 1996). These costs included collection and transfer of excreted material,
formation of the windrow pile, turning the pile, and reloading the compost for final disposal. The
Wisconsin study was based on a small dairy operation (60 head). Costs for beef cattle, swine, and layer
hens were calculated based on animal units and handling weights of solid manure (NRCS, 2003).
Equipment life is assumed 20 years. The costs presented in the Wisconsin study are much higher than
those presented in Table 5-18 for collection, transfer, and storage of solid manure. However, the
Wisconsin study presented a cost comparison of the windrow system to stacking on a remote concrete
slab, and these estimates were approximately four and half times higher than the values summarized by
NRCS. It is likely that the single data set used for the Wisconsin study is not representative of typical
costs.
Two studies have been conducted in Canada regarding the costs of composting. The University of
Alberta summarized the per ton costs of windrow composting with a front end loader compared to a
windrow turner (University of Alberta, 2000). The Alberta Government presented a per ton estimate for a
windrow system with turner: this estimate is quite different than the University of Alberta study. These
per ton costs were converted to costs per head of dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, and layer hens based on
the manure generation and handling weights presented by NRCS (2003).
In 2001, the USEPA released a draft report titled “Alternative Technologies/Uses for Manure.” This
report summarizes results from a Purdue University research farm operating a 400-cow dairy operation.
This farm also utilizes a windrow system with turner.
Table 5-18 summarizes the cost estimates presented in each of the studies for the various composting
systems. None of these estimates include the final costs of land application of solid manure, as no
phosphorus losses occur during the composting process.
Table 5-18. Costs Calculations for Manure Composting.
Equipment Used Capital Costs
per Head
Annual Operation and
Maintenance Costs per Head
Total Annualized Costs
per Head
2004 Costs Estimated from CIAS, 1996 – Wisconsin Study
Windrow
composting with
front-end loader
$324.25 - dairy cattle
$213.50 - beef cattle
$1.75 - layer
$23.75 - swine
$179.75 - dairy cattle
$118.50 - beef cattle
$1 - layer
$13.25 - swine
$196 - dairy cattle
$129.25 - beef cattle
$1 - layer
$14.25 - swine
Windrow
composting with
bulldozer
$266 - dairy cattle
$175.25 - beef cattle
$1.50 - layer
$19.50 - swine
$179.75 - dairy cattle
$118.50 - beef cattle
$1 - layer
$13.25 - swine
$193.25 - dairy cattle
$127.25 - beef cattle
$1 - layer
$14.25 - swine
Windrow
composting with
custom-hire
compost turner
$266 - dairy cattle
$175.25 - beef cattle
$1.50 - layer
$19.50 - swine
$215.25 - dairy cattle
$141.75 - beef cattle
$1.25 - layer
$15.75 - swine
$228.75 - dairy cattle
$150.50 - beef cattle
$1.25 - layer
$16.75 - swine
Windrow
composting with
purchased compost
$617 - dairy cattle
$406.25 - beef cattle
$234.25 - dairy cattle
$154.25 - beef cattle
$265.25 - dairy cattle
$174.75 - beef cattle
