CONTROLLING the life-threatening gas emitted from stored slurry must now become a top priority health and safety issue for all UK livestock farmers, says Liz Russell, managing director of the Lancashire-based company Envirosystems.

Last year's tragedy in Northern Ireland where three members of one family died as a result of inhaling hydrogen sulphide from a slurry store, has highlighted the need for all dairy farmers to be aware of exactly what’s going into their slurry tanks.

Liz Russell is urging industry leaders to introduce new safety measures concerning stored slurry – and that includes being fully aware of how various cubicle bedding reacts with slurry in the tank.

“The pH of the slurry is the key issue in reducing the risk from hydrogen sulphide poisoning,” says Liz Russell.

“If the slurry is alkaline the toxic gas concentration doesn’t occur. Some materials used for cubicle bedding – and which contain sulphides – will generate a low pH level. That in turn will create anaerobic slurry and the production of toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide.

Sales of Envirobed are now reaching record levels as more dairy farmers recognise the value of providing cows with an inert but comfortable cubicle bedding that helps reduce mastitis but is also safe to mix with slurry.