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Manure Can Yield Economic Benefits With Proper Handling
BY SALLY BAIR
Lancaster Co. Correspondent
LANCASTER - Lancaster
County Dairy Days gave dairymen
an opportunity to hear the latest in
manure application, fly control
and heifer housing.
With spring planting season
close by, Mitchell Woodward,
nutrient management specialist
with Penn State, offered dairymen
tips on getting the most from that
manure, a' byproduct from
dairying with definite economic
benefits.
Woodward pointed out that a 50-
cow herd produces 1,000 tons of
manure a year, offering dairymen
a rich resource for nitrogen,
phosphorus and potash. To use this
resource most wisely, Woodward
encouraged all dairymen to have
their soil tested at least every
three years, and to have a manure
analysis test.
Looking at manure as a resource
for its nutrient content, Woodward
called it “the least expensive
source of fertilizer for the farm.”
To manage it in the best way, he
said testing is essential because
there is a tremendous percent
variation from farm to farm.
Incorporation affects the
available nutrients, and he said
that immediate incorporation into
the soil will result in 50 percent
availability, while waiting just two
days decreases that to 35 percent.
Spring is the best time for in
corporating manure because there
will be the least nitrogen loss, and
because it can easily be in
corporated into the ground.
Summer is the next best time when
it is used on small grain stubble,
idle acreage, and grass stands. It
should never be used on legumes at
this time because it will increase
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Clarence Collison
competition from weeds.
In the fall the potential loss of
nitrogen is greatest except for
cover crops, and winter is the least
desirable season because of
nutrient loss and runoff problems.
Woodward explained that a form
comes with the soil test to help
farmers apply the nutrients most
efficiently. He also encouraged
farmers to look at the crop rotation
over a long period. The county
extension office has available a
computer program to help farmers
determine the application rate for
manure and commercial fertilizer.
He told the group that in the cost
of production of com, the largest
percentage of cost is in fertility, at
a rate of nearly one-third the total
cost. In producing alfalfa, fertility
represents one-fifth the cost.
Woodward cautioned against
nutrient excesses, saying, “After
you reach a certain point, more
doesn’t bring in increased yield.
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Mitchell Woodward
More is not necessarily doing any
good.”
He stressed that maximizing
economic yield should be their
goal, not just maximizing yield.
Extension Agricultural Engineer
Robert Graves said that proper
restraints and facilities can make
handling dairy cows safe and ef
ficient.
He said that one person should be
able to isolate any animal, and
noted that pens should be injury
free, with no pinch points or hidden
snags. Pens must be rugged, with
running water and perhaps be
located close to a parking area.
Good lighting is a necessity for
ease in treating animals.
Pens should be built at least 66
inches high to discourage jumping,
and there should be a 16 to 18 inch
space to allow an adult to roll out of
the pen if necessary. Hinges must
be properly placed to allow the
gates to move in the proper
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 14,1M7-A2I
direction, and latches should be difficult to handle,
hrm and easy to manipulate, Another important consideration
Graves said. in fly control is the need for good
Ideally, pens could be built with public relations as suburban
gates that allow the dairyman to housing'moves closer and closer to
block off certain areas, and to farms.
encourage an animal into a The major flies to concern
specific restraining area. dairymen are the housefly and
Graves said it is extremely stable fly, both manure breeding
important to have separate flies; and the hom fly and face fly,
maternity and treatment areas so which breed in fresh manure pats,
that newborns are not exposed to within minutes after it is dropped,
the germs of a sick animal that Effective fly control relies on
previously used the area. both the use of insecticides and
Such restraining areas should be good sanitation. Collison said that
at least 12 feet by 12 feet, and flies quickly build up a pesticide
ideally should have stanchion at resistance because of their very
one side of the pen. Self-locking high reproductive potential, their
gates make it easier to use. short life cycle and their limited
Addressing the need for migration between farms,
adequate calf housing, Graves Furthermore, not a lot of new
stressed that dairymen should chemicals arc being developed, so
remember that the temperature dairymen must rely on those
should be suitable for the calf, not currently on the market,
necessarily comfortable for the To slow down resistance,
dairymen. He urged consideration Coflison said that dairymen should
in placing newly weaned calves offer flies “a smorgasboard” of
into group facilities, explaining inesticides. He said it is important
that if it is the first group ex- f 0 offer insecticides with different
perience it will be a stressful time, active ingredients, not just dif-
Not only is the environment ferent brand names
being changed but also the feed
and the method of feeding. He
suggested weaning a few calves as
a group, and said they should
never be put directly with older
heifers.
Another continuing con
sideration of dairymen is the need
for fly control. Clarence Collison,
extension entomologist with Penn
State, said, “Fly control is
essential in any well managed
dairy operation.” He said flies
have a detrimental effect on
farms, including reducing
production, increasing bacteria in
milk, increasing susceptability to
diseases, and making cows more
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He added, “Insecticides don’t
take the place of good sanitation.”
He also told dairymen to wait until
they have a problem to do
something about fly control.
Flies need the proper tem
perature, the proper breeding
material, and an appropriate
moisture level to reproduce, and
changing any or all of these greatly
reduces the reproduction of flies.
He concluded, “Flies can be
controlled, but it takes a lot of
effort and good sanitation, manure
management, moisture control
and chemical control.”
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