Sean O’Connor farms near Castleisland in Co. Kerry, in a place called Scartaglin. He runs 80 spring-calving Holstein-Friesian cows with his father, purchasing his Natural Stockcare products through Farm & Home Store in Castleisland — and like a lot of dairy farms, slurry management is a job that has to work smoothly or it eats into everything else.
The problem was the tank. “This tank is kind of long enough, and there’s only one agitating point in it. So it took a good few hours to get it agitating and we’d have to agitate it and take a little bit of slurry and then draw it out and agitate it more. So it was awkward enough.”
What Is SlurryCare?
SlurryCare is a biological slurry treatment from Natural Stockcare. Added directly to the tank during the housing period, it works to break down crusting and solids over time, resulting in a more consistent, easier-to-handle slurry. The goal is straightforward: less time agitating, less odour, and better nutrient value when it goes out on the land. Available in 1, 3kg and 10kg sizes, it suits tanks of all scales.
SlurryCare Added Mid-October
Sean started using SlurryCare in the spring of 2024, adding it to the tank around mid-October when there was about half the slurry in. The tank was emptied for the first round at the end of January, start of February — giving the product a good three to four months to work.
The difference was immediate once agitation started. “You could see within the first two hours of agitating that nearly all the tank was spinning. You could see it was mixing even in the bottom.”
Where it previously took hours of stop-start work — agitating, drawing off, agitating again — this time the job was straightforward. “In total, we’d call it an overall two hours after agitating and you only had to agitate once and it was ready to go.”
Less Odour, Easier Spreading
The improvements went beyond the tank. Sean uses a dribble bar and trailing shoes for spreading, and the thinner, more consistent slurry made a noticeable difference out in the field.
“You wouldn’t get much of a smell around the yard compared to what you had before. When spreading it as well, we use all dribble bar and trailing shoes, so it wasn’t as thick coming out.”
That also meant less time spreading. “You’d less time as well, because the slurry wasn’t as thick, so it was easier to put out.”
Sean gets a contractor in to spread, and the difference didn’t go unnoticed. “Definitely, the man on the agitator noticed a difference.”
No Crust Left Behind
One of the common frustrations with slurry tanks is the crust and solids that remain after emptying — even after a full agitation. This time, there was nothing left.
“Once the tank was empty and you were walking along, you couldn’t see any crust or any balls or anything like that.”
Paid for Itself
For Sean, the return is clear. Less time agitating, less time spreading, and a tank that actually empties properly. Asked whether SlurryCare paid for itself, his answer was straightforward: “Oh, definitely.”
He doesn’t hesitate to recommend it. “I definitely recommend SlurryCare. If you have trouble agitating or time-managing or your slurry is too thick, I definitely recommend it.”
To find out more about SlurryCare for your own farm, get in touch with the Natural Stockcare team or visit the full Natural Stockcare product range.
