Straw covers
In the early 1990s, the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI, 1993) tested a variety of coverings to control odours associated with earthen manure storages. Their tudies examined: 1. Performance of various straw types and qualities 2. Performance of artificial flotation devices for straw support 3. Performance of a shredder/blower device for straw application 4. Problems during pump-out caused by straw or flotation devices 5. Costs of straw-covering systems

Results showed good quality barley straw to be the most effective material for unsupported cover. Flax and oat straw sank too quickly. Wheat straw lasted about one third of the time of barley straw. As flotation devices, polystyrene sheets and empty plastic bottles performed satisfactorily although leaking bottles caused pump problems during agitation. These devices were found to be too cumbersome and the covera