Livestock manure is a rich source of fertility, and Iowa has abundant supplies from about 8,200 livestock farms. About 20% of cropped acres across the state are estimated to receive manure.
“Farmers respect manure and want to get the most value from it, but that’s not easy. Manure management is complicated,” said Dan Andersen, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State University andknown by many as “Dr. Manure.”
As a result, manure is often underutilized as a resource to boost crop yields and soil health, according to Andersen. And when it is not managed well, manure can contribute to the state’s water quality problems.
Studying multiverse of factors influencing management
“We have to develop modern strategies for smarter use to encourage farmers to recycle this resource. A main goal of mine is to help make sure producers have good data to inform their decisions,” he said.
During presentations, Andersen reviews results from test plots in northeast and central Iowa, where he studies a multiverse of factors that impact manure management. These include balancing manure application and its variable nutrient levels with diverse soils, crop fertility needs that change over the growing season, water quality concerns and economics. Adding to the challenges are tight schedules for application to accommodate retail applicators’ availability, regulations and uncertain weather.
His current research focuses on fine-tuning the timing of manure applications when used with cover crops to optimize nitrogen use efficiency, protect crop yields and minimize environmental impacts. Several graduate and undergraduate students are working with Andersen on the project, funded initially by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and now by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center (INRC).
Source : iastate.edu