Researchers Target Improved Nutrient Management Through Two-Cell Manure Storage Lagoons

By Bruce Cochrane

Knowledge gained through research planned by the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative will help producers, manure applicators and nutrient planners better target the nutrients contained in hog manure to the areas and crops that need them.

The MLMMI is accepting proposals until May 10 for projects in the area of beneficial management practices that will optimize the removal, transportation and land application of nutrients, particularly phosphorus, from two-cell earthen manure storage lagoons on grow-finish operations.

Executive director John Carney notes the MLMMI has been involved in a series of projects seeking effective, affordable solutions to help producers comply with nutrient management regulations and has looked at everything from mechanical separation to different transportation options.

John Carney-Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative:
This call is really trying to learn what beneficial management practices could producers on Manitoba farms that have two-cell manure storages utilize.

The two-cell system has a primary cell where many of the solids in the manure settle out and a secondary cell which has a lighter, higher water content manure in it.

What this does is that the settled solids tend to have more of the phosphorus where as the lighter liquid manure has more of the nitrogen.

This gives the producer access to manure with two different nutrient profiles so the objective of this project is to help producers better understand how can they optimize their nutrient channeling through two cell storages on their farms.

Carney says the call for proposals is looking for industry participants that have experience in working with manure application from two-cell storages and the project will re-examine on farm management practices for those farms that have two-cell lagoons.

He hopes tosee the project complete this year.

Source: Farmscape