Manure Manager

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Penn State to study manure on horse farms


December 9, 2010  by Penn State University

horsesNovember 30, 2010,
University Park, PA – Responding to new demands on Pennsylvania’s equine
industry concerning nutrient and manure management on horse farms, Penn State’s
College of Agricultural Sciences is surveying the state’s horse-farm owners and
managers to gauge their understanding of the challenges of pasture development
and manure regulation.

November 30, 2010,
University Park, PA – Responding to new demands on Pennsylvania’s equine
industry concerning nutrient and manure management on horse farms, Penn State’s
College of Agricultural Sciences
is surveying the state’s horse-farm owners and
managers to gauge their understanding of the challenges of pasture development
and manure regulation.

horses  
   

Nutrient management is the
process of managing manure and fertilizer to avoid polluting nearby water
sources. Horses have been regulated as livestock by the state since 2008, and
regulations are being established to include horses under the same
nutrient-management regulations as other livestock.

As a result, research is
needed to develop recommendations for horse-farm environmental practices. This
survey is aimed at determining the horse industry’s knowledge of farm best-management
practices and how farm owners can best acquire information that could help them
adopt environmentally sound production methods.

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“We want horse farm owners
to feel free to complete the survey and be assured that all information will be
kept confidential,” said Ann Swinker, equine extension specialist in the
Department of Dairy and Animal Science. “It will give Penn State Cooperative
Extension
a better understanding of how horse farms are managed, as well as how
to better inform farm owners regarding these management practices.”

Penn State’s equine
science program will survey horse owners and farm managers in conjunction with
the Pennsylvania Equine Council. The web-based survey will assist the equine
industry in disseminating new and emerging information, which may help farm
managers make decisions to benefit their horses, their farms and the
environment. The ultimate goal is to promote sustainable farm management and
enhance environmental health and water quality practices on horse farms.

“It is abundantly clear to
me that Pennsylvania’s horse farms would benefit from participating in the
survey,” said Robb Hoffa, Pennsylvania Equine Council president. “We encourage
horse farm owners to fill out the study questionnaire.”

For more information contact
Sarah Worobey at sew5091@psu.edu.

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