March 13, 2002
COVERING NEW GROUND PROJECT ASSISTS WITH MANURE MANAGEMENT

March 13, 2002

COVERING NEW GROUND PROJECT ASSISTS WITH MANURE MANAGEMENT

Many Morden area livestock producers have gained a greater appreciation for the value of manure through a manure analysis and soil testing program funded by Covering New Ground.

The Stanley Soil Management Association initiated the program in 2000 and the Pembina Soil and Crop Management Association joined in 2001. Fifteen producers participated.

"The project was timely for a couple of reasons," explained Brian Nedohin, agricultural representative with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives in Morden.

"In 1998, the Livestock Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation was implemented. Many farmers were uncertain of its implications such as when the regulation was to take effect. Secondly, although producers had been applying manure to their fields for years, the full appreciation for the economic value may have been going unnoticed by many."

"Using manure as a fertilizer can decrease or even eliminate the need for synthetic fertilizer," explained Mitchell Timmerman, nutrient management specialist with the Soils and Crops Branch of Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives in Carman. "The fertility benefits from manure can be seen in the year of application and often in subsequent seasons, too."

The group used a field test kit for on-site manure analysis. According to Timmerman, this relatively new tool provides a ballpark estimate of the available nitrogen--primarily ammonium nitrogen--in the manure. With this information, reasonably accurate manure application rates can be calculated on the spot.

"The kit does not replace laboratory analysis," Timmerman cautioned. "Lab results are critical to confirm the nutrient content of the manure. For that reason, samples of the manure were also sent to the lab."

Proper soil sampling combined with manure analysis results in more efficient use of the manure and helps to protect groundwater and surface water resources, he added. Accordingly, the soils in fields where manure was to be applied were analyzed to determine appropriate application rates.

During a field day in 2001, the ammonia meter was demonstrated to 15 area producers. The differences in nutrient value and availability between solid and liquid manures were explained.

"The project has created an awareness among producers of the value of manure," Nedohin said. "Local producers have also become much more aware of environmental rules and regulations involved with manure management."

- 30 -

This is the ninth in a series of news releases on agricultural sustainability produced by Covering New Ground, a program that funds local projects to help find economical solutions to environmental challenges in Manitoba's agricultural community.