Volume 25: Issue 3 Nov. 2023
BOTTOM LINE Sharing ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.
Page 4 Managers, set your sights on Baton Rouge
University of Wisconsin
Manure is spread in the spring before planting.
Page 5 Butter makes everything better
Page 6 Program equips cow managers to be people managers
Manure-spreading techniques impact nutrient losses LAURA PALETTA AND KELSEY HYLAND University of Wisconsin
The spreading of liquid dairy manure often gets a bad rap. But when performed correctly, applying manure that way is a great practice for soil health and provides needed nutrients for crop growth. Manure can be extremely beneficial in a system designed to use it. It’s important to utilize manure Paletta from late spring to early fall, when nutrient losses to water resources are less likely. During that time period growing crops can actively take up the nutrients provided in manure. There are many ways to apply and spread manure, Hyland resulting in different levels of
nutrient losses. Ammonia losses are often cited as a concern in surface-applied scenarios because manure is readily exposed to weather events such as precipitation, temperature and wind – all of which can increase rates of volatilization such as ammonia losses to the atmosphere. University of Wisconsin-Discovery Farms edge-of-field monitoring revealed that another form of nitrogen in manure, ammonium, can also be lost in runoff. Discovery Farms data compares three types of manure application. • surface • tillage incorporation within 72 hours • low-disturbance manure injection Surface-applied sites had greater rates of ammonium losses compared to both incorporation with tillage and lowdisturbance manure injection. Those losses Please see MANURE, Page 2
Professional Dairy Producers I 1-800-947-7379 I www.pdpw.org ™