Water Quality Impacts of Headland-Stacked Poultry Manure
Slideshow of Headland Stacking Pictures
The UW Discovery Farms Program investigated the potential for nutrients to move through runoff from headland-stacked poultry manure into waters of the state (surface or groundwater). Headland stacks are manure piles stored on bare soil at the edge of crop fields until the field is ready for application. Stacks are normally applied to fields within three months, but may remain in place for up to one year. Stacking -- while not unique to poultry and common on farms that haul daily or clean livestock lots -- is common in the industry because of the manure's high dry matter content. Poultry manure is an good fertilizer helping to improve soil fertility.
This study began with proposals being developed and submitted to Wisconsin DNR in the fall of 2002 and was completed with the delivery of the final report in November of 2008. Staff from the Discovery Farms Program worked with Paul Kivlin of the Nutrient and Pest Management Program on the research, as well as the development of four factsheets, five popular press articles and the research reports. Below is a list of the information available from this study.
If you have questions or would like additional information on the Headland Stacking of Poultry Manure study, please contact us at:
UW Discovery Farms
40195 Winsand Drive
PO Box 429
Pigeon Falls, WI 54760
phone: 715-983-5668
jgoplin@wisc.edu
drframe@wisc.edu
paul.t.kivlin@uwrf.edu
View Headland Stacking Final Report Presentations as Powerpoint Shows