News Applications Dairy
Introducing ManureDB: A new way to view manure variability and trends

Manure is used as an organic fertilizer source on approximately 31 million acres across the country. That equates to 10% of U.S. cultivated land, according to the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) II survey of practices from 2013 to 2016 estimates.

Manure book values — which are approximate nutrient concentrations — are used for developing manure management plans, designing manure storages, creating best management practices for manure land application, and agricultural modeling. They show a range of nutrient values that can be expected from typical manure storages and encourage farmers to test their manure often.

Unfortunately, current book values are several decades old and may not reflect current production practices. Recent laboratory data from the Midwest indicated manure nutrient data has changed compared to published Midwest Plan Service (MWPS) book values. Different animal diets, treatments, genetics, housing, and manure storage and handling practices can impact these manure nutrient values. | READ MORE