ARS | Publication request: WHERE AND HOW MUCH MANURE IS LAND-SPREAD ON WISCONSIN DAIRY FARMS.

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: December 20, 2005
Publication Date: January 23, 2006
Citation: Powell, J.M., Jackson-Smith, D.B. 2006. Where and how much manure is land-spread on Wisconsin dairy farms. In: Silage for Dairy Farms: Growing, Harvesting, Storing, and Feeding. Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES), January 23-25, 2006, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. p. 386-395.

Technical Abstract: The development of manure management plans requires knowledge about the amount of manure produced, collected and spread on livestock farms. Various approaches are available to estimate manure nutrients excreted by dairy cattle. No information exists, however, on actual manure collection and spreading practices on typical dairy farms, so assumptions are made about how much manure is collected and average collection values are used. Averages, however, exclude the probable diverse manure production and collection practices on dairy farms. Whereas estimates of manure nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) production are first-steps in developing manure management plans, manure collection information is needed to not only estimate cropland requirements for effective manure recycling, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to identify potential "hot-spots" on a farm where uncollected manure may result in soil nutrient buildup and environmental damage. The objectives of this study were to determine the type and amount of manure N and P produced, collected and uncollected on typical Wisconsin dairy farms; to estimate collected manure N and P loading rates on cropland; to estimate uncollected manure N and P loading rates in outside livestock access areas, and the impact of these loading rates have on soil chemical properties; and to elicit farmer feedback on management of the outside areas they use for their dairy cattle.