Can I access sufficient land for manure application?
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon excreted by livestock and poultry can be valuable nutrient sources in a crop fertility program or they can be critical pollutants to our surface and ground water. The first step to assuring that N and P are utilized by the crop and not a water pollutant is to ensure that a sufficient land base is available for crop production to utilize the N and P.
As a quick rule of thumb, use the following table to make a rough estimate of the land required for an animal feeding operation:
| Animals | Land for N* | Land for P* |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 cow dairy | 1,300 ac | 2,100 ac |
| 1,000 beef cattle | 100 ac | 270 ac (open lot) |
| 130 ac | 270 ac (barn) | |
| 100,000 layers | 530 ac | 1,400 ac |
| 100,000 broilers | 60 ac | 810 ac |
| 1,000 finishing pigs | 110 ac | 160 ac |
*Assumes manure will be used on corn averaging 200 bushel/ac corn.
For a more accurate estimate, it is suggested that you use the spreadsheet, Manure Nutrient and Land Requirement Estimator and the supporting instructions or a comparable product.