Heavy Use Area Protection
Areas on the farm that are frequently or excessively used by livestock, people, or vehicles may lose their ground cover and become dusty or muddy. These areas are sometimes fortified by heavy use area protection.
This practice seeks to protect heavily used areas against erosion resulting from lack of ground cover which in addition to manure management concerns could contribute to water and air quality and livestock health concerns. Examples of where heavy use area protection standard is implemented include livestock travel lanes, animal feeding areas or sacrifice lots, vehicle travel and parking areas, and pedestrian walkways.
Items to take into consideration when planning to implement the heavy use area protection standard include the location of nearby waterways, streams, and rivers, drainage patterns, and the location of manure management areas. Depending on the degree of use and the type of animals to use the area, concrete, asphalt, gravel, or other materials may be used.
