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Reconciling the Differences between Manure and No-till
The current media focus on “going green” has thrown more public attention on
environmental issues than ever before. Turning waste into something with value is now a
common goal for households, corporations, builders, and industries in general.
The agriculture industry has long seen the value of reusing livestock manure, a “waste,” as fertilizer. Using manure, which may be a natural by-product of a farming operation, as fertilizer saves money. As commercial fertilizer costs rise, it is logical to take advantage of an existing, less expensive source of nutrients. However, this practice, while sound in principle, brings challenges. |
Manure applied to fields is made available to crops for its
nutritional value, but it is also made susceptible to erosion.
Runoff of manure into water supplies can lead to contamination,
and therefore manure application is carefully regulated. For
example, in Iowa, liquid manure from a hog operation with an
average animal weight capacity of more than 200,000 pounds
must be injected or incorporated within 24 hours.
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Avenger® coulter with
Sharktooth™
closing wheels |
Each state or region has its own regulations for manure application. If producers adhere
to these regulations, water contamination is minimized. All producers should carefully
research regulations in their area or hire certified manure application professionals to do
the job.
Regulations aside, the process of manure application still presents a slew of factors that
need to be considered before a workable system is devised for each operation. Producers
should consider soil’s natural composition and propensity for erosion. They should also
search for the right balance between making nutrients available, protecting the
environment, and maintaining a conservation-tillage level of residue coverage.
| Research has shown that 40% of the total nitrogen in incorporated beef feedlot manure is made available to the plant in the first year of application. Studies in Canada showed the release of N from pre-plant injected hog manure coincides well with the demand for N in the
growing corn crop. |
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Manure injection is a very effective method of providing
nutrients to plants. While broadcasting manure may lead
to volatilization of ammonia in manure where a
significant percentage of the N is in the form of ammonia,
injecting manure means nutrients are stored until needed
by growing plants. Studies have shown that the injection
of swine manure can lead to increased level of N, K, and
P in the leaves of corn plants. Crops receiving injected
manure also produced higher yields than those grown in
soil that received a broadcast manure application. |
Manure injection also has another, neighbor-friendly benefit — lower odor. While some
manure may still pool on top of the soil, incorporation of this fertilizer will lead to lower odor than broadcast application. According to a study done in Canada, the amount of
pooling decreases when the soil disturbance increases.
While manure injection has clear benefits, it has not always been compatible with soil
conservation. Tools and methods of incorporating manure often resulted in what was
essentially a tillage pass through the field. As indicated above, increased disturbance does
have the benefit of lowering odor. But more soil disturbance also means less residue on
the soil surface, leaving the soil more susceptible to eroding winds and rain.
Producers using strip-till and minimum-till systems can adapt their processes and
consider manure application in place of a tillage pass that provides a similar amount of
soil disturbance.
But for producers dedicated to no-till, injection of manure may require a change in
thinking. In fact, researchers from Iowa State University suggest that even in no-till, the
soil disturbance that undoubtedly occurs with manure injection should lead it to be
considered a tillage pass.
Several tools for manure incorporation and injection are available, including shanks and discs. Studies have shown that disc injectors produce the least amount of soil disturbance of these two options, and angled discs take disturbance down another level. Angled discs are therefore a good fit for no-till systems and direct seeding applications. Angled discs with a sealing disc provide effective injection and odor control.
In a three-year study conducted in Minnesota, disc injectors also seemed to pull more easily than knife or sweep application systems. Discs require less power to operate effectively, which could result in fuel savings. |
To take advantage of the benefits
of manure without applying in
excess, producers must know the
nutrient content of the manure
they are applying, which depends
on species and storage method,
among other factors. It is also
critical to know the existing
composition of the soil to which
the manure will be applied. It is
not uncommon for states to
require producers to create and
file a manure management plan to
ensure practices are safe and
effective. Chemical analyses are
available to determine both
manure and soil makeup.
Click
here to access a manure
management guide published by
Iowa State University. |
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Aerators, another injection option, have the lowest
disturbance of all tools, but they also typically result
in the more surface pooling of manure and higher
odor concentrations. Since studies have shown that most injection tools control odor well enough that high
odor readings occur only immediately following injection, low-disturbance injectors are
an excellent option for producers hoping to stay true to no-till residue coverage.
In fact, the previously referenced Minnesota study found that one year, residue coverage
was reduced only 17 percent by the working injection discs.
Avenger® coulter running in
corn stalks
with smooth
sealing discs
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Residue coverage prior to application was 86
percent, and soil disturbance led that number to
drop, but still maintain a coverage level acceptable
for conservation tillage plans.
Producers looking to maintain a no-till environment
should look for injection tools that perform well in
tough residue conditions and leave a surface smooth
and ready for planting. |
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for injecting manure in a no-till environment, tools do exist that maintain significant residue coverage. Coupling the right tools with manure of a composition suitable for the soil to which it is applied will result in a satisfactory fertilizer solution for both the environment and the producer’s pocketbook.
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Visit www.yetterco.com to review past issues of The Leading Edge
and Yetter products that maximize your yield potential. |
Notice – The information contained in this guide is offered in good faith by Yetter Mfg. Co., Inc. to further the understanding of no-till farming. However, the use of the information provided is beyond the control of Yetter Mfg. Co., Inc. and in no case shall Yetter Mfg. Co., Inc. or any seller of its products be responsible for any damages which may occur from the use of this information. All such risks shall be assumed by the user.
Yetter Manufacturing Co., Inc.
109 S. McDonough
Colchester, Illinois 62326
Phone:800-447-5777
FAX: 309-776-3222
www.yetterco.com
E-mail:info@yetterco.com |
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