MSI provided planning a design and permitting services for a cutting horse and beef finishing facility. This facility raises cattle that are used to train the cutting horses in an indoor training facility. MSI partnered with Summit Livestock Facilities and FBi to provide designs for the 80 head horse and 200 head cattle facilities.

Additionally, runoff from the outdoor cattle lots is collected and treated with a vegetated filter strip.

In 2013, Dean Bacon and Beef began their planning efforts with NRCS to address resource concerns of their beef operation. This project would address concerns such as lot and feed storage runoff.

MSI helped further develop their Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP) to include the implementation of a slatted deep pit beef finishing barn and cow/calf bedpack barn as well as a feed storage area runoff collection system. MSI provided conceptual planning/design, quantities estimate and opinion of probable construction costs, design and development of project plans and specifications, and construction phase services.

MSI also provided coordination with NRCS for financial assistance programs, with Longhorn Cattle and Swine Confinements Inc. to develop construction plans and specifications, and with the Illinois Department of Agriculture for construction plan approval. 

This 1,000 head beef facility was constructed to house background and finisher animals in one facility. The bedpack facility is a clay lined earthen bedpack with 4 pens with a solid manure stacking area. Liquid manure from the concrete alleys can be scraped into the adjacent 12’ deep slatted pit. The slatted portion of the barn contains 4 pens. Animals are fed on both sides of the facility under a monoslope roof by Summit Livestock, with one side having a covered feed drive.

Additionally, this facility was constructed with the financial assistance through the NRCS EQIP program to address site resource concerns.  A Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan was developed and is maintained for the facility.

The project consisted of a new Beef Farm designed for 2,500 Beef Feeders. The site is approximately 10 acres including the project site land application areas.  Relevant features include: Deep bedded loose housing pens, concrete manure stacks, earthen embankments, reinforced concrete scrape alleys, clay liner, gravity pipelines, clean water diversions, perimeter drainage for ground water interception, an emergency spillway, a secondary emergency containment area, and feed and commodity storage areas.

We provided the following scope of work: site development, topographic/design surveys, geologic investigations, test borings, IDOA permit applications, liner design, permeability testing, moisture density testing, design of animal manure and wastewater handling and storage systems, construction documents, storm water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP), operation and maintenance plan, cost estimates, nutrient application and management plan, rainfall runoff calculations, and a mortality management plan.

Expansion began with a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan to address identified resource concerns such as lot runoff and inadequate volume of manure storage. Coordination with NRCS allowed the expansion to be constructed with financial assistance from the EQIP program. The design included a deep pit finishing barn, additional manure stacking areas, a settling basin, runoff containment walls and transfer channels, pumping plant and force main, access road and perimeter drainage system.

Finishing cattle are now housed in the deep pit facility while background animals are kept in a bedpack with lot access. Manure is scraped to the stacking areas while runoff is transferred via curbing and channels to a temporary storage area. It then is pumped to the deep pit facility.

The following services were provided by Maurer-Stutz, Inc.: nutrient management plan development, opinion of probable cost, topographic surveys, geological investigation, design services for waste handling facilities, permitting assistance, construction documents, record drawings, construction certifications and quarterly submittal of monitoring well results.

Predecessor firm, Feldmann & Associates began the planning efforts to complete facility improvements at the dairy facility.  Services started with efforts to land apply waste in a safe manner; negotiate with regulators and the design, permitting and construction of emergency waste storages.  Subsequently, Feldmann subcontracted RCM digesters to form a team to complete a feasibility study for a methane digester and explore biogas use options.  A 2,000 cow, plug flow digester system with CHP was designed and permitted by the same team and subsequently constructed.  The project also included new manure collection piping and reception tank, pump and force mains to the digester and from the effluent tank to the screw press separators mounted above a new concrete solids stack with 12 ft concrete retaining walls.

We have continued to serve subsequent owners/operators with planning and design of various additional waste system improvements and development of a nutrient management plan (NMP).  We also provide annual updates to the NMP, review and submittal of quarterly monitoring well results, and every five year engineering review of the waste lagoon dam pursuant to the Dam Safety permit with Illinois DNR.

This facility is a 720 lactating cow dairy facility located in urban Chicago suburbs with approximately 1,600 crop acres for manure application.

A concrete lined waste storage pond was designed to replace the existing earthen holding pond. Additional design services provided in addition the design and permitting services were a NPDES storm water prevention plan that underwent review by Lake County, IL as well as submission to Illinois EPA. Other services provided were construction phase services.

A Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP) was developed for the facility and is updated as needed. The plan is kept at the facility to meet Illinois EPA and Illinois Department of Agriculture regulations.

This facility began planning efforts for facility improvements at their 800 cow dairy facility through development of a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) including planning to address resource concerns including EPA inspections. 

MSI developed a CNMP and provided conceptual planning/design, quantities estimate, opinion of probably construction costs, design and development of project plans and specifications, and construction phase services.  Improvements designed and constructed included earthen waste storage pond, compacted clay liner, subsurface perimeter drainage system, liner protection, reinforced concrete waste transfer scrape alleys, waste transfer gravity pipelines, clean water diversions, and feed/commodity storage area improvements.

Facility features include milking parlor, holding pen, freestall and calving barns, feed center, reclaimed solids separation system for bedding, flume and transfer pumps, reinforced concrete reception tanks, a heated-methanogenic plug flow digester with 260 kW CHP with 1.5 MBTU hot water heat recovery, solids stacking pad, two earthen holding ponds, reinforced concrete scrape alleys, clay liner, gravity pipelines, clean water diversions, perimeter drainage for ground water interception/control.

This operation began the planning efforts for a multi-phase improvement project at their 600 cow dairy facility. The first phase included construction of a new holding pen, parlor, and milking center and new animal housing and sand separation facilities. The second phase (completed in 2013) consisted of the addition of an earthen waste storage pond and a freestall barn that allowed for expansion of the herd to 1,000 cows.  

MSI provided conceptual planning, engineering design, and construction phase services.  Design included sand bedded freestall barns with reinforced concrete scrape alleys, curbs, and walls; automated flush waste removal system with recycle pumping station and flush towers; concrete sand separation lane and reclaimed sand stacking pad; clay lined earthen waste storage pond; holding pen barn; and parlor.

MSI has also assisted this client with various other facility additions and improvements including the facility’s original freestall barn, a concrete waste storage tank, clay lined waste storage pond, two calf barns, and a feed storage runoff collection system. 

This facility commenced planning efforts for a multi-phase facility improvement project at their 140 cow dairy. 

Maurer-Stutz, Inc. developed a CNMP and provided conceptual planning/design, quantities estimate, opinion of probable construction costs, design and development of project plans and specifications, and construction phase services.  Improvements in the first phase of the project included closure and removal of an existing earthen waste storage pond, design and construction of a concrete lined waste storage pond, subsurface perimeter drainage system, and reinforced concrete waste transfer scrape alleys.  

The second phase of the project consisted of the construction of a new freestall barn with scrape alleys, with the option of eventually converting the barn into a flush system barn. MSI provided conceptual planning and developed the concrete and foundation design with Summit Livestock Facilities,

This operation began the planning efforts to build a new 4320 cow dairy facility with the first phase of construction having a 3500 cow capacity.  The facility is located on approximately 90 acres.

Feldmann & Associates and Maurer-Stutz, Inc. provided conceptual planning, engineering design, and construction phase services.  Design included sand bedded free stalls, flush manure removal, a sand-sedimentation and reclamation basin, concrete reclaimed sand stacking pad, solids sediment basins, a two-stage lagoon, earthen embankments, reinforced concrete flush alleys, clay liner, gravity pipelines, recycle pumping station with force main, flush tanks/towers, clean water diversions, perimeter drainage for ground water interception, an emergency spillway, a secondary emergency containment area, and feed and commodity storage areas.  Permits and approvals were acquired from the various state and local agencies.

Seeking to expand to 750 head and introduce robotic milking equipment, Maurer-Stutz, Inc. provided this facility with engineering assistance. Planning began with the development of a CNMP and the facility was able to gain financial assistance through the NRCS EQIP program. Project assistance included: nutrient management development, site design development, structural foundation plans and permitting assistance.

The expansion began with design and construction of a sand-bedded freestall barn with bedpack pens for special need cows. Waste system improvements included a solids settling tank, sand settling lane, and two stage holding pond. Wastewater from the settling lane is pumped via forcemain to the holding ponds. Another forcemain pumps recycled water to the barn flush system.

Engineering services were contracted for this privately-owned 13,000 head sow, farrow-to-wean facility consisting of a gild development unit, 2 gestation and farrowing buildings, connecting hallways and related ancillary buildings. The buildings consist of both 10’ deep pits and 2’ shallow pits. The scope of services provided included site design development, structural foundation plans and quality assurance construction checks.

Site design began with a topographic survey and geotechnical investigation. Project construction plans included a grading plan with cut/fill volumes, piping plan and a stormwater/erosion control plan for the NPDES Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan. The structural concrete foundation plans included reinforced manure pits, mortality composter and water cistern specifying perimeter and foundation insulation systems.

The provided construction phase services included staking, construction checks of earthwork, rebar and concrete placement, materials testing, record drawings and project certification.

This facility began the study and planning efforts to address odor emissions for the anaerobic lagoon at their swine, grow-finish farm.  Several alternatives we reviewed and considered with clients and Mark Moser, RCM Digesters.  After deciding on installation of a digester, Feldmann and RCM teamed to design and constructed a methane digester to treat manure prior to storage in the existing lagoon.

Feldmann participated in planning, design and permitting of the heated, complete mix system with an earthen-clay lined digester with flexible, insulated cover.  Conducted on-site topography survey and developed grading plan.  Developed plan for and coordinated soil boring and testing investigation. 

Subsequently, the success of the digester system allowed expansion of other sites which Maurer-Stutz, Inc./Feldmann & Associates planned and designed.  Facility Features include shallow pit recharge flush manure collection system, with an earthen (clay lined) lagoon, reinforced concrete pits, gravity pipelines, recycle pumping station with forcemain, and clean water diversions. 

This facility is composed of 16 laying houses and 2 pullet barns housing 550,000 laying hens. Manure conveyors are utilized to transfer waste from the housing facilities to manure storage buildings until the manure can be land applied. Maurer-Stutz, Inc. involvement in the expansion involved the following services: project construction plans with grading plans, cut/fill volumes, piping plan and a stormwater/erosion control plan for the NPDES Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan; design of animal manure and wastewater handling and storage system; permitting assistance with various local and state regulatory agencies; and development of a nutrient management and application plan.