Manure

Roles and responsibilities in manure application with automated controls

kkelderman@puck.com — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Just a few decades ago, manure application operations required a group of workers who could spend weeks at a time in the field monitoring pumps and driving tankers from field to field. Now, manure application has implemented automation technology to improve efficiency tenfold.

InFocus: Farmers share key concerns with greenhouse gas data collection

audrey@agproud.com — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

American Dairy Coalition greenhouse gas survey results say farm data demands not really voluntary, and responses shed light on key concerns.

Cover crops and manure timing: Start with the ‘why’

dsa@iastate.edu — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Cover crops and manure are both tools. When they are aligned, they improve nutrient efficiency, protect water and can even add forage value. When they are not aligned, they create management friction, yield drag and frustration.

How does your manure handling compare?

kurt@nutradrip.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Manure isn’t just a byproduct – it’s a balance sheet item. On some dairies, it’s a cash-flow generator. On others, it’s a liability that costs more to move than it’s worth. The difference isn’t in the cows – it’s how you manage the nutrients, equipment and economics between the barn and the field.

Changing nutrient concentrations to affect manure application rates and prices

kkelderman@puck.com — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The one constant in life is change, and new data shows dairy producers and custom manure applicators alike will see changes in their manure samples from previous years. These changes could affect manure application rates and prices in 2026.

Alberto Dairy commits to sustainability with vermifiltration

jenn@agproud.com — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

For nearly 18 months, Alberto Dairy has used worm beds to appropriately manage their manure, retain nutrients and reuse wastewater.

Manure: It doesn’t just happen

mbhall@tcaar.com — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Manure. We scrape it, we store it, we spread it. But did you know that it can tell you how your cows are getting along with their rations?

USDA issues 90-day pause on biodigester applications

jenn@agproud.com — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:05:55 -0500

Anaerobic digesters have reshaped the dairy industry, providing a sustainable solution for manure handling and an alternative energy source for U.S. households. For the relatively small portion of those projects that receive funding through the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), that momentum now faces a temporary pause.

Training challenges applicators to answer ‘What if?’

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Helping applicators and farmers generate wide-ranging questions and discussing potential solutions are among the main goals of the University of Wisconsin Extension’s Manure Applicator Training 101.

Advanced manure treatment, where do we stand?

jpo53@cornell.edu — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Manure is the linchpin of biocircularity in dairy production systems. Nutrients in cow manure are recycled back to the land to produce crops, which are used as animal feed.

Cornell University Ruminant Center (CURC): Beyond the cow

kw566@cornell.edu — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Cornell University Ruminant Center (CURC) conducts cutting-edge research in dairy nutrition and metabolism, reproductive physiology, and management and genomics.

How to apply slurry under variable field conditions

kkelderman@puck.com — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Working outdoors will always be unpredictable, and the narrow window of time when applying manure means there is less time to wait for good ground conditions. With heavy equipment and variable field environments, there are steps that can be taken to minimize damage to field during slurry application.

Advanced manure treatment, where do we stand?

jpo53@cornell.edu — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Manure is the linchpin of biocircularity in dairy production systems, with the nutrients in cow manure recycled to the land to produce crops that are utilized as animal feed.

Sustainable bedding solutions: Exploring manure solids separation and bedding recovery for dairy farms

dsa@iastate.edu — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

While most of us focus on how to move manure, store it and land-apply it, there's a growing interest in what else manure can do for the dairy. One of the more intriguing ideas? Turning it into bedding.

Maximizing sand recovery: Proven practices to protect your bedding investments

rschrift@mclanahan.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Choosing the right bedding is essential for cow comfort, herd health and overall dairy performance. Sand is a popular choice thanks to its comfort, cleanliness and long-term affordability – especially when paired with an effective recovery and recycling program.

Essential safety tips for handling manure

kkelderman@puck.com — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A major factor in operational safety in manure application is knowing what could go wrong and how to mitigate those risks. Various causes can lead to minor incidents or, at worst, a disabling injury or death. There are a few things you can do before and during a job to keep the risk of accidents low.

Ash Grove Dairy finds stability in renewable natural gas market

jenn@agproud.com — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Sure, carbon markets are volatile. Sure, the market is theoretically best suited for a large dairy farm, even those providing manure into a community digester. But that didn’t stop Michael Crinion of Ash Grove Dairy.

Producers share results from inaugural year of sustainability program

jenn@agproud.com — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The Farmers for Sustainability Food (FSF) Sustainability Program was launched in 2024 to help Upper Midwest farmers determine what conservation practices are the most effective for their farms and provide resources to better track each farm’s environmental impact.

Harnessing the power of anaerobic digesters: Opportunities and challenges for dairy farms

dsa@iastate.edu — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

While recent changes in policy and markets have added uncertainty to the economics of digesters, the technology remains a valuable option for dairies looking to improve sustainability, prepare for a carbon-conscious future and manage manure more effectively.

Choosing the right equipment for a manure dragline system

kkelderman@puck.com — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A dragline application system is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to move liquid manure from your storage facility to the fields. Choosing the correct equipment for your operation starts with understanding your goals and building upon them.

Producers monetize dairy manure with unique on-farm business models

jenn@agproud.com — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

What opportunities are available to create more value from dairy waste? For three individuals, creating more value lay in what was available to them and the relationships they were willing to build with neighbors and industry stakeholders.

Taming the sneaky threat of nuisance sand

rschrift@mclanahan.com — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Whether or not a dairy is using sand bedding, nuisance sand can infiltrate manure systems through feed, equipment and environmental exposure, creating hidden operational headaches. While removing 100% of sand from manure is not realistic, proactive manure management strategies can significantly reduce its impact, helping to preserve both the longevity of your equipment, your manure system’s performance and the quality of your bedding.

[Podcast] Amanda Freund: Shark Tank, manure management and diversifying revenue streams

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Connecticut dairy producer Amanda Freund recently took the national stage to promote her product Cow Pots (and in turn, the dairy industry) during a televised episode of Shark Tank. Host Kimmi Devaney sat down with her to learn about this experience and how this product has changed manure management on their farm. This is a high-energy episode you won't want to miss.

Progressive Events: Midwest Manure Summit highlights unique potential of dairy waste

jenn@agproud.com — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Academia, industry allies and dairy producers each brought unique perspectives for how to best manage dairy waste at the 2025 Midwest Manure Summit Feb. 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. From anaerobic digesters to in-season applications to fiber bedding and more, manure has gone from a waste to a valuable resource on dairy farms of all sizes, as highlighted during the one-day event.

The best show around… is all about manure?!

kw566@cornell.edu — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 10:11:58 -0400

In mid-July 2024, a team of extension staff, farmers, manure applicators and agency staff from New York and Vermont partnered with Annex Media and the North American Manure Expo (NAME) Board to bring NAME to central New York.

Nitrous oxide: No laughing matter

kw566@cornell.edu — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:45:26 -0400

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is an important greenhouse gas (GHG) but it often takes a backseat in discussions about GHG emissions.

Choosing the best irrigation system for your farm

kurt@nutradrip.com — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

High land values, shrinking water supplies, increased regulations and labor shortages are reshaping the way we approach irrigation.

Innovations in manure handling: Exploring in-season manure application methods

dsa@iastate.edu — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Manure can be a valuable resource or a liability, especially at dairy farms, where cows produce lots of it. For years, farms have recycled manure nutrients, turning them back into feed and forage for cows by applying them as fertilizers to support crop production. However, handling and applying manure efficiently and sustainably can be challenging.

Triple bottom line guides dairy sustainability journey

lori.captain@dairy.org — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Since the turn of the century, sustainability has been integrated into business strategies, giving birth to the triple bottom line – people, planet and profit. This has expanded how people think about sustainability. It is more than environment and includes economic and social or societal dimensions.

Manure collection and management for sand barns

dschreiner@lely.com — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Running a successful dairy involves navigating a range of variables, such as breed, feed mix, barn layout, bedding type and more. There is one topic, however, every farmer will have to face, which has an impact on the function of the entire barn: manure.