Indiana Farmstead Assessment for Drinking Water Protection Livestock Yards Management

Use this survey to assess the risk to water quality posed by your livestock yard. In this survey, the term "yard" refers to an open lot or a barn/lot combination. If your livestock are in confinement housing, this survey does not apply. If you have more than one livestock yard, answer the survey questions as they apply to the yard closest to the water well. Circle the answer that best describes your livestock yard. At the end of each section sum the numbers that correspond to each answer for the section total. When you have completed the survey sum the section totals for the risk assessment score. Refer to Fact Sheet 8 for more information on livestock yards management.

For each question, a (1) represents a higher risk to drinking water than a (3).

Location & Site Characteristics

1. How far is your livestock yard from:

	a water well? 
		less than 50 feet       (1)
		between 50 and 100 feet (2)
		more than 100 feet      (3)

	a surface water? 
		less than 50 feet       (1)
		between 50 and 100 feet (2)
		more than 100 feet      (3)

	a tile inlet? 
		less than 50 feet       (1)
		between 50 and 100 feet (2)
		more than 100 feet      (3)

2. Is the yard located upslope from:

	a water well? 
		Yes (2) 
		No  (3) 
	a surface water? 
		Yes (2) 
		No  (3) 
	a tile inlet? 
		Yes (2) 
		No  (3)

3. How deep is the soil layer in the livestock yard?

	less than 20 inches      (1) 
	between 20 and 30 inches (2)
	more than 30 inches      (3)

4. Describe the soil texture in the livestock yard.

	clay (3) 
	loam (2) 
	sand (1)

5. Describe the drainage of the soil in the livestock yard.

	poor          (2) 
	good/moderate (3)
	excessive     (1)

	Location & Site Characteristics section total __________

Surface Water Diversion & Lot Runoff Control

6. Does any upslope surface water run through the yard?

	Yes (3)
	No  (2)

7. Is the roof water collected and diverted from the yard?

	Yes (2)
	No  (3)

8. Does the yard have curbs?

	Yes (3)
	No  (1)

9. Do you collect and store the runoff from the livestock yard?

	Yes (3)
	No  (1) If No, skip Question 10

10. Do you use an infiltration strip to receive runoff from the yard?

	Yes (3)
	No  (1)

11. Do you separate the solids out of the runoff?

	Yes (3)
	No (1)

	Surface Water Diversion & Lot Runoff Control section total _________

Yard Cleaning & Yard Size

12. How often do you clean and scrape the livestock yard when animals are present?

	at least weekly  (3) 
	at least monthly (2)
	rarely		 (1)

13. What is the area of the livestock yard in square feet?  ___________ 

(Yard width ___ feet x Yard length  ___ feet)

14. What is the maximum number of animals kept on the yard at a time?
_______ animals 15. What is the total area of the yard in use?
_______ ft2/animal

(Divide the answer to Q 13 by the answer to Q 14)

16. Use the table below to determine your risk rating for livestock
yard size. For each type of animal you keep on a yard (paved or
earthen) compare your answer to Question 15 with the size listed in
the table. The table values are in area (ft2) of yard needed per
animal. If your yard size is equal to or greater than the table
listing, your score is 3. If your yard size is smaller than the table
listing, your score is 2.

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animal 			paved ft2 		earthen ft2 		score 
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dairy cows 		75 			400 			___ 
dairy replacements 	40 			150 			___ 
beef feeders 		50 			500 (300 with a mound)  ___ 
beef cows & heifers	60 			600 (400 with a mound)  ___ 
sheep & ewes 		20 			40 			___ 
feeder lambs 		10 			25 			___ 
hogs & sows 		30 			150 			___ 
growing/finishing pigs  30 			150  			___ 
horses 			exercise yard > 2,500 				___ 
turkeys 		on range = 290-175 per acre			___ 
ducks 			on range = 290-175 per acre 			___
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

			Yard Cleaning & Yard Size section total _________

Risk Assessment for Livestock Yards Management

Add the following totals:

Location & Site Characteristics section total ____ x 3 		    = _____ 
Surface Water Diversion & Lot Runoff Control section total ____ x 2 = _____ 
Yard Cleaning & Yard Size section total                             = _____

						Survey 8 Score _______


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	Low	       	    Moderate			High
     126 - 109		    110 - 70		       71 - 42
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for fact sheet 8, click here

Livestock Yards Management Fact Sheet