Leslie Johnson - Animal Manure Management Extension Educator

Leslie Johnson - Animal Manure Management Extension Educator

Fly Control on Livestock Operations

image describing breaking the fly reproductive cycle for control. Image credit Cassandra Olds, Kansas State University.
Flies are numerous this summer. They drive us all nuts, but are they a problem beyond our annoyance? The answer is yes, flies are more than just a nuisance. Flies can carry and transfer diseases between animals. Additionally, they can create wounds where other diseases can enter. So, how do we control them?

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Calculating the Value of Nutrients in Manure

manure emoji with cash in its eyes
“How much is this manure worth?” This is a common question from both livestock farmers who are supplying manure and crop farmers who are utilizing it. To answer this question, it is important to understand the difference between gross value and net value. The gross value of manure reflects the equivalent commercial fertilizer value of the nutrients contained in the manure. The net value considers the impacts of application method, transportation, and cropping system nutrient needs as well as intrinsic values that are much more difficult to put a number on. Therefore, this article will focus on determining the gross value of nutrients in manure.

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Nebraska NRCS announces ACT Now Signup 2

NRCS logo
Nebraska NRCS has announced ACT Now Signup 2 for initiatives and EQIP programs. An ACT Now signup process will be utilized for the Bazile, Big Sandy and Turkey Creek NWQIs and EQIP CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs. Applications that may have been received for these initiatives after the November 18, 2022 EQIP application cutoff but prior to the December 19,2022 Signup 2 announcement, are eligible as well.

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Crop Residue Removal: Its Effect on Soil and Water Quality

raking cornstalk residue. photo credit: Leslie Johnson
Some crop growers have always removed crop residue for animal feed and bedding. Crop residue removal should be done in such a way that it benefits the grower without negatively impacting the health and productivity of the soil as well as the environment.

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Not All Manure is Created Equal

visual representation of various manures' nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents compared to volume of organic matter and water.
Chicken, Beef, Swine and Dairy are all manures. All are valuable, but are they equal? Absolutely not. I could rank them by smell, another by their nutrient content, another by proximity to them, and yet someone else could separate them for their ability to influence soil health charateristics. This article will discuss a little about the different kinds of manure and explain why not all of this valuable product is created equal.

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