Animal Manure Management

Agricultural Production Animal Manure Management

Animal Manure Management

Recycling local manure nutrients before purchasing fertilizer is key to protecting the environment. Manure can be an economic “Win”, due to its fertility value, and a soil quality “Win”, due to its organic matter.  But it can also be a community risk, due to odors and pathogens. Our live educational programs, online courses, and resources provide science-based information on economically viable, environmentally sound manure handling systems that also comply with all regulations.

Managing Animal Carcass Leachate to Prevent Water Pollution

PhD student Gustavo Castro shares some of the challenges of managing animal mortality in livestock production, focusing on routine and large-scale events due to disease outbreaks or natural disasters. This article discusses carcass disposal by burial, best practice for siting burial pits, prevention of groundwater contamination, and logistical challenges caused by large-scale mortality events.

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Strategies to Minimize Compaction During Wet Spring Conditions

photo of water standing in tire tracks of field
Insights on how wet field conditions affect compaction and ways to mitigate compaction when field work can't be delayed.

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UNL Researchers Advance Soil Health Cycle Concept

soil health cycle infographic
Inspired by an extension event survey comment, Dr. Bijesh Maharjan, associate professor and extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, conceptualized the soil health cycle (SHC) as an iterative soil health management cycle to achieve agricultural sustainability.

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Choosing a manure application rate

truck spreading manure
An often asked question is, "how much manure do I need?". The answer is not as simple as the question. It depends on the crop you are growing and the expected yield, existing soil nutrients, knowing your goals, the type of manure you wish to use, and any other fertilizer nutrients you expect to apply.

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Nitrogen Fertilizer Trends in Nebraska from 1955-2023

fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency dot graph
This Nebraska Extension article highlights the impact of factors such as plant genetics and improved production practices to fertilizer consumption in Nebraska over numerous decades.

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