The intensive rearing of farm animals, which has become widely practised since the last war, has created serious problems of waste disposal. Under traditional systems of mixed farming all kinds of farmyard manure were returned to the land and were an important feature in maintaining soil fertility. Today, many farmers have insufficient land for this purpose and the disposal of effluent from their livestock is becoming increasingly difficult. This article reviews the magnitude of the problem and the steps being taken to solve it.
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