Manure Application

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cultivating stronger business relationships with your neighbors

steve.schwoerer@compeer.com — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A crucial aspect demanding significant attention when planning a dairy expansion is securing feed for the additional cows and managing the increased manure production.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Manure management and planning for the year ahead

kkelderman@puck.com — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Producers can limit their risk exposure to costly mistakes in manure application by finding a custom application company that has the experience and knowledge to responsibly complete the job. A professional in the industry would have the proper equipment for your dairy operation, the range of knowledge needed for success and the capacity to get the job done in a timely fashion.

Advice for applying manure during winter

dsa@iastate.edu — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As winter approaches, the challenges associated with cattle manure application become more pronounced. Adopting best practices that maximize nutrient utilization and safeguard water resources is crucial. What follows are critical considerations for cattle manure application in the winter.

Strategies for applying manure for the best economic return

kkelderman@puck.com — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Manure application is a fast-growing industry, with more farmers looking for alternatives to commercial fertilizer. Manure is proven to be a balanced nutrient product for farmers. Not only does it supply nitrogen needs for a crop, but in the same application, it supplies phosphorus and potassium needs as well.

Make manure manageable again

matt.shortlane@gmail.com — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:31:20 -0400

Manure is a gift and a curse for dairy farmers. It becomes the dark cloud for dairy operations, being the source of time constraints, nutrient runoff and financial strains. Finding methods and approaches that bring consistency and flexibility to applications is often hard to find. That was, until conservation agriculture.

Even manure application begins with effective agitation

kkelderman@puck.com — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Effective manure agitation is the key to an even application of nutrients for the greatest benefit of crops. Consistency in your slurry provides an even mixture of nutrients across the field, and the breakdown of suspended solids allows you to clear the whole lagoon.

Put your manure storage on a diet following wet season

jenn@agproud.com — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

For the first time since 2019, the Midwest is mostly clear of drought advisories, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In fact, May was one of the wettest months on record for Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota and regions of Michigan, with above-normal precipitation continuing throughout the growing season. Such weather has dairy producers in a pinch to manage manure appropriately.

Considerations for appropriate manure application rates

megand@wdfarmsinc.com — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As manure applicators, we should know how many gallons or tons we are applying to an acre and should have corresponding documentation. The question is: “How do we determine the rate?”

The three-phase approach to establishing on-farm treatment systems

joseph.baeten@wisconsin.gov — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The most common practice for manure management is temporary storage at the farm’s production site and land spreading during specific periods throughout the year.

Spill response: Tips, tricks and thoughts

megand@wdfarmsinc.com — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Manure has left the premises, now what? The manure applicator should have a plan in place before this situation arises.

Manure application strategies for efficiency and environmental benefit

kw566@cornell.edu — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Dairy producers have a valuable resource in the form of manure to provide home-grown nutrients for sustainable crop production and organic matter back to their soil. However, managing that manure responsibly comes at the cost of cash, labor, and environmental challenges

Manure application: Considerations for keeping it in-house or hiring out

megand@wdfarmsinc.com — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Manure needs to be on the forefront of the farm management’s team mind, not the back. That being said, in the best interest of the operation, should manure be handled in-house or should a custom applicator be hired? There are several factors to consider when making this decision.

Turn a pollutant into green gold by reducing nitrogen loss in slurry

export@storthmachinery.co.uk — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Slurry contains valuable quantities of nitrogen in the form of a liquid: ammonium usually found in livestock urine. Ammonium is readily available for absorption by plant root systems, but from the moment it hits the barn floor until it is incorporated into the field, large quantities are lost in the atmosphere in the form of ammonia gas.

How can I help my manure hauler help me?

megand@wdfarmsinc.com — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 08:37:35 -0500

In any relationship, communication is key. In the business world, each involved party should understand the other party's perspective to ensure a smooth, uneventful process.

I have manure; I don’t need anything else

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:30:21 -0400

Manure is a great source of fertilizer in today’s agricultural industry. It supplies a healthy dose of the primary nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). I will refer to P2O5 (phosphorus oxide) as P and K2O (potassium oxide) as K going forward.

Manure sensing for improved nutrient management

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 11:58:36 -0400

The way nutrients are applied to cropland has changed significantly over time, with adoption of various precision agricultural practices such as nutrient management planning, grid soil sampling and variable rate application technology. However, the way we handle manure nutrients has undergone little change.

Farmers find more ways to apply manure on growing crops

karen@agproud.com — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 22:05:35 -0400

In northeast Wisconsin, where water flows to Lake Michigan, dairy farms are experimenting with cropping practices and manure application methods to improve soil health and water quality.

Minimize nutrient loss by making manure applications count

karen@agproud.com — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:59:46 -0400

Manure contains essential nutrients for forage crop growth. How and when it is applied will impact its use by alfalfa, grass and corn silage crops.

Considerations for nutrient application and drain tiles

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 13:00:01 -0400

Regardless of farm size or operation type, manure (or nutrient) management is something every dairy producer must be familiar with. Not giving this area due consideration and planning can have detrimental effects.

Making the most of manure

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 20:55:56 -0400

Manure is not a liability; it’s an asset. As livestock and cash grain margins narrow for the foreseeable future, producers should start viewing manure with the rose-colored glasses it deserves.

A turkey roaster pan and manure: A bigger conversation

jordan.milewski@newholland.com — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 13:00:01 -0400

The changing landscape of manure management is a change in mindset from manure being animal waste to a high-value contributor to the bottom line of the farm.