– Glen Arnold, CCA, Field Specialist, Manure Nutrient Management, OSU Extension
12,000 gallons per acre of dairy manure applied prior to wheat planting.
Most of Ohio is very dry and there is no nearby forecast for substantial rainfall. Livestock producers applying manure to farm fields need to take extra caution to prevent liquid manure following soil cracks to field tile.
Preferential flow is when liquid manure follows soil cracks, worm holes, and crayfish holes to find field tile and escape into ditches and streams. Dry wheat stubble fields are notorious for soil cracks. In these instances, tillage is considered the best management practice before liquid manure is applied. Corn and soybean fields will also have more, and larger soil cracks than typical this fall. If you have tile control structures, they should be closed at the time of manure application.
While livestock producers and commercial manure applicators often inject manure to better capture the nutrients, the extremely dry soils will . . .
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