When George Peichel pumped out the lagoons on his southern Minnesota farm last fall, the numbers in his swine manure application records stopped him in his tracks.

    “The manure from that site was the best quality we’ve produced in 32 years,” says Peichel, who farms in Nicollet County. “Our manure tests were better than they’ve ever been.”

    That kind of jump doesn’t happen by accident.

    In September 2025, Peichel began using Manure Master Conditioner and Manure Master Plus–PA from ProfitProAG. The goal was simple: to address crusting issues, solids, and improve manure management.

    The improvements from 2023 to 2025 are hard to ignore:

    •    Nitrogen (N): Increased from 30.9 to 43.4 pounds (lbs.) per 1,000 gallons

        →  159.8 lbs nutrient availability/acre at actual rate vs. 113.47 lbs/acre (+40.8%)

    •    Phosphorus (P): Increased from 22.5 to 36.7 lbs per 1,000 gallons

        →  154.43 nutrient availability/acre at actual rate vs. 94.43 lbs/acre (+60%)

    •    Potassium (K): Increased from 28.4 to 32.6 lbs per 1,000 gallons

        →  154.33 nutrient availability/acre at actual rate vs. 134.09 lbs/acre (+15%)

    •    Sulfur (S): Increased from 3.3 to 4.4 lbs per 1,000 gallons

        →  20.83 nutrient availability/acre at actual rate vs. 15.58 lbs/acre (+33.6%)

    •    Zinc (Zn): Increased from 0.5 to 0.9 lbs per 1,000 gallons

        →  4.26 lbs/acre vs. 2.36 lbs/acre (+0.8%)

    Peichel isn’t just moving manure—he’s gaining more crop-available nutrients per acre.

Knocking Down Foam

    Previously, Peichel had tried various additives over the years to control hydrogen sulfide and other lagoon management challenges. “Some of those products ate up nitrogen like crazy,” he says. “Others helped a little, but nothing really solved the problem.”

    Then came a more serious concern: foam and a flash fire. At one point, foam began pushing up through the slats in the barn, creating a dangerous mix of methane and hydrogen sulfide gases.

    Peichel tried Manure Master FoamAway from ProfitProAG. “When we poured it in, I was surprised that the foam went down almost immediately. Within a few days, the foam was under control.”

Breaking Down Solids

    It worked so well that Peichel turned to ProfitProAG again to deal with a solid build-up in his lagoons. In the fall of 2025, he used Manure Master Plus–PA, which includes a blend of digestive microbes to help enhance manure digestion and liquefaction. He also used Manure Master Conditioner, which ties up toxins in the manure that slow manure microbial digestion.

    “This was the first year I didn’t see big chunks of solids dislodge from the ‘islands’ in the lagoon and float to the top,” says Peichel, who has used a manure agitation boat for the past six or seven years to maximize pumping efficiency. “Instead, the particles were small and went almost immediately into suspension.”

    The flow started improving dramatically within a couple of weeks of adding the Manure Master products to the lagoons. The big chunks were gone within two months.

Better Flow, Better Results

    Peichel’s farm recycles more than 350,000 gallons of water per day through the continuous-flush system. “Salt build-up in the pipes has been an issue in the past,” he says. “Since we used Manure Master products last fall, we’ve seen less accumulation in our flush gutters under the slats, and our recharge flow has improved.”

    Each year, Peichel pumps about 2 million gallons of manure. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is the value of every gallon.

    “The farmers receiving this manure are getting a more nutrient-rich product,” he says. “We’re getting better efficiency across the board.”

Ready to Capture More Value?

    If you’re leaving nutrients locked up in the solids in your lagoon, you’re leaving money on the table.

    Manure Master products help you:

    •    Enhance manure digestion and liquefaction

    •    Reduce top crusting and bottom solids

    •    Enhance pumpability

    •    Control odors

    •    Boost nutrient retention

    Want to see the difference on your farm?

Contact Dr. Jim Ladlie at 507-383-1325, jladlie@profitproag.com, or our office at 507-373-2550 to get started.