Nutrient management plans typically contain six key things: soil test results, cropping information, manure spreader calibration information, nutrient crediting, a detailed manure application plan and a soil conservation plan.
Taking manure for what its worth!
We don't often take manure into account when we list the valuable products that animals provide for us. As fertilizer prices continue to climb, our crops and our soils can greatly benefit from allocating manure where it is needed most, and taking credit for the nutrients within that manure which are available to crops. At fertilizer prices of $0.53/lb for N, $0.50/lb for phosphate, and $0.48/lb for potash, your herd of 100 cows is producing over $17,000 worth of brown stuff! The table below shows calculations:
| |
N |
P2O5 |
K2O |
| Fertilizer prices |
$0.53/lb |
$0.50/lb |
$0.48/lb |
| 1st yr. nutrient availability per ton (solid) |
3 lb |
3 lb |
7 lb |
| 1st yr. nutrient availability per 1,000 gallon (liquid) |
7 lb |
5 lb |
16 lb |
| |
| Manure production per cow |
27 tons/year |
6500 gal/year |
|
| Total value manure produced per cow (solid manure) |
$174.15 |
|
|
| Total value manure produced per cow (liquid manure) |
$90.29 |
|
|
Cover Crops and Nutrient Management
Video courtesy of Sand County Foundation's YouTube page.
Calibrating a Manure Spreader
Video courtesy of the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension's Webchannel.