Water News Archive

Manure Nutrient Management

Water quality protection is primary to good stewardship of our environment; and fundamental to good stewardship is application of manure and fertilizer nutrients at field-specific agronomic rates with careful consideration of timing and location. Following nutrient management principles is a requirement for compliance with Nebraska and U.S. environmental regulations for all permitted animal feeding operations.

Water quality is affected by nutrient management when chemicals, soil, and residue move off of agricultural land or below it. This section focuses on a number of production issues that when managed correctly minimize the potential for off-site consequences because excess of the nutrients is limited or eliminated.

Crop Planning - Soil Testing

Regularly checking soil nutrient status by sampling and analysis should be part of one’s crop production plans regardless of whether manure use is an option. However, soil testing is especially important with manure application to insure that excessive amounts of nutrients are not accumulating in the soil.

Crop Planning - Manure Nutrient Analysis and Application

Default values for manure nutrient concentrations are typical values, but concentrations can vary substantially from these due to the feeding program, type of animal housing, and manure handling system. Additional variation occurs within animal feeding operations due to time of year and weather conditions.

Manure Regulations

Livestock Waste Regulations in Nebraska are enforced by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality NDEQ). NDEQ administers both state and federal (EPA) environmental regulations. The governing regulations are called Title 130, Livestock Waste Control Regulations.

Basic Biosecurity

Every livestock producer wants to keep his or her animals healthy. Healthy animals grow better, produce higher quality products, and require fewer interventions like antibiotics. Along with keeping livestock and poultry well fed and watered, comfortable, and safe, it is important to keep them healthy by minimizing their exposure to disease-causing organisms.

Calibration Kits

20 kits of equipment and supplies for calibrating both dry and liquid manure spreaders are available in Extension offices across the state. Available for check-out for farmers and their advisors

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Request a Nutrient Management Record Keeping Calendar

2024 Nutrient Management Record Keeping Order Form. Calendars will be distributed in December. If you want a copy of the current year's calendar, please request one by calling Leslie Johnson at 402-584-3818.

Manure Related Extension Publications

The following are publications about manure and nutrient management.