September
8, 2010 – The Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative (MLMMI) board of
directors recently approved a project that will study the fate of minerals from
animal feeds in crop production systems.
September
8, 2010 – The Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative (MLMMI) board of
directors recently approved a project that will study the fate of minerals from
animal feeds in crop production systems.
Dr.
Sheppard, vice-president and lead researcher at ECOMatters Inc., will lead the
study. The Manitoba-based project will measure concentrations of selenium,
copper, boron and zinc in feed and manure, but will also attempt to quantify
concentrations of other elements such as arsenic, phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N),
cobalt, manganese, cadmium and lead. The analyses will include N and P in
manure because the rate of land application of metals in manure depends on
these nutrients. Manure use and regulations are based on N and P, so it is
critical to be able to relate trace mineral concentrations to those nutrients.
The
overall intent of the project is to better quantify the transfer of trace
minerals from feed to manure and determine for which minerals feed is the
dominant source, and where to look for other sources. In the second year of the
project, direct evidence of nutrient accumulation in soil will be investigated.
The
project will be administered by the MLMMI and funded by the Canada-Manitoba
Growing Forward Initiative. To stay updated on the progress of this project
please visit the MLMMI website at www.manure.mb.ca/projects.
