Is Manure Side-Dress a Viable Option for Your Farm?

By:  Stephanie Karhoff

Earlier this month, I observed corn being side-dressed with swine manure in Paulding County. These corn research plots are part of a larger effort, led by Manure Nutrient Management Systems Field Specialist Glen Arnold, to increase the manure application window.

Decreasing wheat acres, along with an increase in regulations and extreme weather events, requires creative solutions for livestock producers handling manure. One promising option is replacing 28% UAN with swine manure for side-dress applications in corn. Four years of on-farm swine manure drag hose plots show a 14.8 bu/acre difference between plots with incorporated swine manure and 28% UAN.

Comparison of four-year average yield (bu/ac) between corn plots treated with either swine manure or 28% UAN side-dress.

But when is the best time to apply manure side-dress? Five years of research at the Northwest Agricultural Research Station testing the effect of mechanical injury from center drag hoses on corn yield indicates V3 is the optimal growth stage for application. After V4, a yield loss was observed.

Comparison of five-year average yield (bu/ac) between plots injured with center drag line hose at various growth stages. No drag hose is control.

Manure side-dress has the potential to be a profitable and environmentally sound option for farmers in Northwestern Ohio. If you are interested in learning more about this practice, contact Glen Arnold at arnold.2@osu.edu or 419-422-3851. You can also learn more about this research by following @OSUnutrients on Facebook.