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Manure
with bedding
Most small acreage
livestock manure contains a fair amount of bedding and/or
feed waste mixed in. Wood shavings or sawdust are a very
common bedding material.
Manure with lots
of wood shavings and sawdust can actually deplete the soil
of nitrogen when
applied to crops and gardens. This is because of the high
levels of carbon contained in the wood products - the carbon
to nitogen ratio or C:N ratio of wood shavings or sawdust
is typically 500:1. As the carbon breaks down, it can deplete
the soil of nitrogen.
Finished compost. Photos
courtesy of the Mid-Atlantic Equine Pasture
Initiative.
Composting is
a good option for manure with lots of bedding. It produces
a stable, soil-like product that is free of weed seeds and
pathogens when done correctly.
Visit our composting page for more information.
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Spreading manure or compost on-farm
There
are a variety of small ground driven manure spreaders
that can be towed with an ATV or small garden tractor.
They
range in capacity from 25 to 75 bushels (1 to
almost 3 cubic yards) and range in price
from just under $1,000 to over $2,500. Check with
your local farm equipment supply store
or do an internet search on small ground driven manure
spreaders.
When spreading
manure or compost on-farm:
Keep
records of the manure or compost you apply
- when, where, how much.
Take
soil tests to determine crop nutrient needs.
UCONN
Soil Testing Lab - download order form
UMASS
Soil Testing Lab - download order form
Manure
and compost tests can provide the actual
nutrient value of your manure or compost.
Otherwise, book values for manure nutrient
content can be obtained from the USDA NRCS
or various
University Extension
Offices (see University of Vermont Extension
book values above). Compost
should be tested at a laboratory.
Penn
State Manure Testing Program - download order
form
UMASS
Compost Testing - download order form
For
annual gardens and crops, "incorporate" the
manure into the soil immediately after
spreading to conserve nutrients
and reduce potential losses due to runoff
and volatilization (gasing off into the
air).
If
manure is applied to annual cropland in the Fall,
consider planting a winter cover crop
to control erosion and take up additional nutrients,
minimizing nutrient losses.
Manure
or compost can also be spread thinly and
evenly over grasslands immediately after
hay cuttings or mowing. If applying to
pasture, it is important to spread the
manure about one month before a grazing
cycle. Smothering
of grasses can occur if the manure is applied
too thickly or when the grasses
are taller.
Parasite
eggs in uncomposted manure may cause an infestation
problem on pastures.
Maintain a good de-worming
program for your animals.
Avoid
spreading manure during winter months and
on frozen, snow-covered and
muddy ground. Late fall through mid-Spring
is a key period where properly managed
manure storage areas are needed.
Phosphorus free fertilizers
When
manure or compost is applied to land on
a regular basis, phosphorus levels can
build up to an excessive level in the soil.
It depends on how much you spread and the
crops being grown.
When
soil tests indicate very high phoshorus levels,
avoid spreading manure and supplement with nitrogen
and potassium as needed. When manure is applied
to satisfy crop phoshphorus needs, nitrogen
and
potassium often need to be supplemented with
other fertilizer sources.
Liquid manure being injected and incorporated
to conserve nutrients and reduce potential
losses due to volatilization, leaching and
runoff.
Nitrogen
is very soluble and mobile. It often volatilizes
into the air, or can leach into groundwater
when applied at rates greater than the
plant can use. When
it comes to nitrogen, more is not better.
Once
the plant uses what it needs, any excess
nitrogen will be lost to the air
and water resources, increasing pollution risk
and
wasting valuable money. Heavy rains or
excessive irrigation can also increase
the risk of nitrogen leaching - robbing it
from the plants.
