Manure Trials

Published Feb 8, 1993

PFI farmers have always been interested in the most efficient and profitable ways to use resources like livestock manure. This year’s field trials with manure looked at economics placement, comparisons with other fertilizers, and manure’s effect on soybeans. (Table 2)

Vic and Cindy Madsen, Audubon, applied 3,300 gallons of liquid hog manure to soybeans at planting time (Table 2). There was no significant yield response in 1992, even though the field has tested low in potassium. Dick and Mary Jane Svoboda, Aurora, sidedressed 2,500 gallons of hog manure on corn. There was not a significant yield difference. In some years manure has significantly raised yields in the Svobodas’ trials, and leaf test effect to potassium, which can be low on the farm. This year, the tally shows a $12.59 lo manure treatment, but that does not include $14-worth of P and K fertilizer benefit to the manure.

Tom and Irene Frantzen, Alta Vista, compared: 1) manure preplant-broadcast; 2) manu and 3) no manure, in a three-treatment trial (Table 3). The two manure treatments yielde better than the no-manure treatment, but there was no difference between broadcast and The late spring (pre-sidedress) soil nitrate test showed there was no shortage of nitrogen the crop.

Mike and Jamie Reicherts, Alta Vista, compared: 1) manure at planting; 2) starter; and starter. The starter yielded best, followed by manure, followed by the check treatment. A was somewhat more crop-available nutrients in the starter, Mike also credits the differen – the manure was between the rows and relatively unavailable to the young crop.

Ron and Maria Rosmann, Harlan, compared: 1) manure at planting followed by sidedre sidedressed N only; and 3) starter fertilizer followed by sidedressed N. Ron carefully adju of 28% N so that there would be equal amounts of crop-available nitrogen in all three tre manure treatment yielded significantly better than the sidedress-only treatment. Bringing the starter-plus-sidedress treatment. Ron believes the 17 gallons of 9-18-9 starter fertiliz to the seed, reducing the crop stand in the dry planting conditions of 1992.