Category Archives: Manure

04Jan/19

Getting to the Science of Soil Health: USDA Releases Standard Indicators and Laboratory Procedures to Assess Soil Health

January 4, 2019ManureARS, indicators, NRCS, soil health indicators, soil health measurements, standard methods, state of the science, USDA NRCS, webinarPaul Gross

The enthusiasm for the soil health principles in some cases has gotten ahead of the science behind them. To address this, NRCS and the Agricultural Research Services (ARS) lead a diverse group of technical experts in selecting methods to assess six standard soil health indicators, which focus on key physical and biological process that must function well in healthy soils. The document titled “Recommended Soil Health Indicators and Associated Laboratory Procedures”, Technical Note No. 450 (PDF) was developed by a group of experts and provides information getting us closer to understanding the science behind soil health and how it is best measured.

01Nov/18

Building Soil Organic Matter Takes Time

November 1, 2018Manure, Soil Healthbuilding organic matter, organic matterTodd Whitney

Our “instant” culture gravitates to testimonials about how to rapidly increase soil organic matter by 1% within 1 to 3 years. Conversations with lenders and landlords regarding rewards on manure applications and multi-species cover crops investments would likely be easier if financial rewards or measured soil physical properties came quickly.

28Sep/18

Maintaining soil fertility is important for soil health

September 28, 2018Manureagriculture, crops, farming, fertility, nutrients, phosphorus, research, soil, soil amendments, soil health, soils, soybeans, state of the scienceFrancisco Arriaga

Maintaining soil fertility is important not only for profitable crop production, but also soil health. In a long-term P and K fertility trial, we can see that there is much greater residue cover in plots that have received adequate potash applications over time compared to where no K was applied. Application of P had minimal to no effect on residue cover.

01May/18

Research demonstrates that animal manures can produce both environmental and productivity benefits over the commercial fertilizer it replaces.

Manure’s Impact on Yield, Nitrogen, and Carbon

May 1, 2018Manurecrops, environment, farmers, farming, literature review, manure benefits, manure value, nebraska, nitrogen loss, soil, soil amendments, soil organic matter, state of the sciencerkoelsch

Manure is often viewed by many as an environmental liability. However, if manure is applied at rates equal to or less than the nitrogen (N) requirement of a crop, can manure produce environmental benefits over commercial fertilizer? This was the focus of an Asian research group which summarized the results of 141 published studies from Asia, Europe, and the U.S. comparing manure substitution for fertilizer. This article summarizes the “Take Home Messages” from this research paper.

04Mar/18

Fall manure injection into cereal rye cover crop.

Effects of liquid manure injection into a winter rye cover crop: on-farm trials

March 4, 2018Manure, Soil Healthagriculture, dairy manure, manure and soil health, manure application, research, science, swine manureLeslie Johnson

Nitrate levels above the drinking water standard of 10 ppm are frequently found in subsurface drainage tile water or groundwater below farm fields of the upper Midwest. Nitrogen comes from applied manure and fertilizer, along withRead More…

01Feb/18

Manure being applied in the corn field, using a drag-hose system.

Can Manure Improve Soil Health?

February 1, 2018Manure, Soil Healthanimal manure management, manure, manure and soil health, manure application, manure benefits, research, science, soil, soil health, state of the scienceLeslie Johnson

Is there a correlation between soil health (or soil productivity) and manure? A Missouri team analyzed many soil health related variables and manure land application details, based on data collected under the Missouri Cover Crop Cost-ShareRead More…

24Jan/18

The North Central Region Water Network supports regional soil health capacity building through its Impact 2020 initiative. The Network is made up of a 12-state collaboration between Extension water resource professionals and university, federal, state, NGO and industry partners.

North Central Region Soil Health & Water Quality Initiative

January 24, 2018Manure, Soil Healthadoption, igrow, impact 2020, manure and soil health, ncrwn, north central region, soil health nexus, water qualityLeslie Johnson

Empower Educators to Improve Water Quality by Adoption of Soil Health Practices In December, I traveled to Indianapolis, IN to attend a meeting sponsored by the North Central Region Soil Health Nexus. The meeting was aRead More…

08Jan/18

Soil quality impacts of agricultural and municipal biosolids applications

January 8, 2018Manure, Soil Healthagriculture, literature review, manure, manure and soil health, manure benefits, organic matter, research, science, soil, state of the scienceLeslie Johnson

Background Soil health management refers to the preservation and improvement in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties to maximize the productive capacity of soil. Cover crops and reduced tillage are promoted for improving soil health; however,Read More…

01Dec/17

Value of beef open lot manure assuming crop benefits from potassium supplementation and 5% increase in yield. Estimated manure value is $28/ton.

What is the Economic Value of Manure?

December 1, 2017Manureagriculture, animal manure management, cattle, cattle manure, dairy manure, fertilizer value, manure and soil health, manure benefits, manure nutrients, manure value, nebraska, nutrients, phosphorus, potassium, swine, swine manureLeslie Johnson

Manure has value. That value may result from improvements in soil quality, increases in yield, and replacement of commercial nutrient required for crop production. Previous articles on manure’s value have focused on its soil health, environmentalRead More…

01Nov/17

Setbacks Reduce the Concentration of Manure Constituents in Runoff

November 1, 2017Manureanimal manure management, manure, manure application, manure runoff, nebraska, nutrient concentrations, phosphorus, phosphorus loss, rainfall simulation, reasearch, setbacksLeslie Johnson

What setback distance is required to reduce the concentration of manure constituents in runoff to background values? John E. Gilley, Aaron J. Sindelar, and Bryan L. Woodbury, researchers with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, examined the effectsRead More…