Manure

Manure Impact on Soil Aggregation

By: Rick Koelsch, University of Nebraska, Previously published on Farm Journals Pork online

If manure increases formation of larger (macro) and more stable soil aggregates , several benefits may result for fields fertilized by manure compared to commercial fertilizer including:
1) Reduced runoff and soil erosion;
2) Increased water infiltration into the soil possibly leading to greater drought tolerance; and
3) Partial offsetting of higher soil P levels resulting from manure application and limiting P loss to local surface water.  Continue reading Manure Impact on Soil Aggregation →

Manure and the Law

(Previously Featured on Ohio Ag Net)

Farmers who apply fertilizer to their fields, particularly manure, need to be aware that if the fertilizer winds up in a waterway, they could be facing fines as farmers in northwestern Ohio did last summer.

Applying manure can be particularly tricky because it’s often in liquid form and typically applied to the surface of fields, unlike most commercial fertilizers. So, if manure is spread and not fully incorporated into the soil before a heavy rainfall, the manure could run off a farm field and into a nearby body of water. Continue reading Manure and the Law →

Sidedressing Manure Into Corn Continues to Have Promising Results

Glen Arnold, OSU Extension Field Specialist Manure Nutrient Management

Ohio State University Extension has conducted manure research on growing crops for several years in an effort to make better use of the available nutrients. Incorporating manure into growing corn can boost crop yields, reduce nutrient losses, and give livestock producers or commercial manure applicators another window of time to apply manure to farm fields. Continue reading Sidedressing Manure Into Corn Continues to Have Promising Results →

Winter Manure Application Reminders

From: Ohio’s Country Journal

The Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Soil and Water Conservation would like to remind producers and nutrient applicators of laws and restrictions on manure application.

Signed into law by Governor John R. Kasich in July 2015, Ohio Senate Bill 1 clarifies and enhances the restrictions on manure application within the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB). Continue reading Winter Manure Application Reminders →

Manure Application Logistics – Rate and Cost

By Daniel Anderson, Iowa State University Extension

As we get to the heart of land application season my thoughts always drift to the same concepts. How can we do better at moving manure from farmstead to field, quickly, safely, and environmentally consciously? Manure has long been considered a valuable input to the soil for crop production and in its broadest sense manure management is the science of figuring out the most appropriate use of animal manure and how to get the most benefit for the least expense while protecting air, soil, and water quality. Continue reading Manure Application Logistics – Rate and Cost →