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.

Poultry Litter’s Agronomic and Natural Resource Benefits

Soils and data scientists reviewed the results from 90 research studies and 866 field observations comparing poultry litter with inorganic fertilizer. Their findings provide  several important insights to consider when using broiler litter in Nebraska. This article will attempt to answer:   What is poultry litter’s nutrient value?   Is there a yield benefit from poultry litter?  Which soils benefit most from poultry litter?   Is there value from sustained poultry litter use?

Many Nebraska farmers are experienced with using beef feedlot and swine manures as fertility products. Over the next few years, Nebraska crop farmers may have opportunities to consider using broiler poultry litter as a soil amendment and fertilizer. Other regions of the US have a history of using poultry litter in crop production from which we can take away a few lessons.

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Effects of Manure on Fish Populations

Toxic Algal Bloom
Algal blooms may occur in bodies of water with excess amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus. These algal blooms are detrimental to fish populations, other animal populations, and possibly human health.

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The Five Things Every Livestock Farmer Should Know About Biosecurity

biosecurity sign with potential biosecurity risks
If you raise livestock or poultry, you know it is in your best interest to keep your animals as healthy as possible. Healthy animals grow better. They also produce higher quality products, like meat, milk and eggs, and produce them with greater efficiency when they are healthy. So, along with keeping animals well fed and watered, comfortable, and safe, it is important to keep them healthy by minimizing their exposure to disease-causing organisms.

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Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Cattle Production

Methane is the main contributor of greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle and is largely produced from belching that naturally occurs as cattle digest feed. Other emissions occur during manure excretion and storage.
Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions may seem like extra work that can hurt business, but in reality best management practices for reducing GHG emissions can be economical. These practices may also have other benefits such as reducing unpleasant odors. There are two main areas where producers can reduce significant amounts of greenhouse gases. Best management practices to increase production efficiency and reduce methane produced from cattle digestion of feed can be used alongside manure management techniques.

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Precision Manure Application on Display at Manure Expo

Precision manure application is an important trend in managing animal manures.
While the North American Manure Expo may not reach bucket level status for your vacation plans, for anyone replacing or upgrading equipment for managing manure, it is the place to be. One emerging theme common at this year’s Manure Expo was “Precision Manure”. This article will share a few observations around my conversations with vendors and manure applicators on “Precision Manure”.

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