A Little Manure Application Education...

Manure Hauling and Application

One portion of my day-to-day life is manure application. I know that poop hauling doesn't sound glorious but maybe if I call it custom applicating it sounds slightly more appealing. That is how I introduce it to people because it rolls off the tongue a little sweeter.

My other half does this in the spring and fall as part of our farming operation. His family owns a 7,500 sow unit at the home farm and has multiple nursery and finishing barns as well so we have a lot of manure to dispose of. But we also produce A LOT of bacon on the plus side! :)

There are multiple benefits to applying manure to the fields. Here is a little information on what manure does for the soil and crop production;

• Applications of liquid manures have the potential to provide nitrogen (N) that can be counted toward meeting the needs of the corn crop and substituting for 28% or other fertilizer N sources. 
• The application of hog manure to farmland is an economical and environmentally sustainable mechanism for increasing crop production while providing a waste management service for the hog industry.
• Hog manure is an excellent soil amendment capable of increasing soil quality.
• Manure can increase crop yields by providing large inputs of nutrients and organic material.
• Getting the maximum value out of liquid hog manure requires applying the manure at proper rates and using good application methods. 
• Injecting the manure into the soil is an important step to reducing gaseous losses of ammonia.
• Injected manure provides greater crop response and nutrient recovery compared to surface applied manure. 
• The manure should be applied in spring prior to seeding, but late fall applications when the soil is cooled are also effective.

Here is a video of what it looks like to apply manure to the field with a drag line system like we use:
Manure Application Video