News

Manure study examines nitrogen retention, soil health

Research is showing the benefits of applying solid manure over liquid manure to fields.

Josh Mirabella with the University of Wisconsin-Madison is researching soil health and fertility comparing unprocessed liquid manure, manure that has had the liquid removed, and no manure applications at all. “Both in terms of their overall impact on nitrogen dynamics in a silage corn system, but also how they interact with this inorganic fertilizer that very often, farmers are applying at the same time as solid manure.”

Mirabella says a year after the solid manure applications, he noticed a significant increase in the amount of nitrogen in the soil. “Especially the surface layer, the top fifteen centimeters of soil, compared to the none in the liquid treatment and a lot of that is because the solid organic matter in the solid manures is a lot more stable than the kind of nitrogen that is in the liquid manure.”

Mirabella says the solid manure is empowering better soil health and encouraging the retention of any additional nitrogen fertilizer that is applied.

Mirabella’s research is being funded by Wisconsin’s Dairy Innovation Hub, which uses state dollars through the University of Wisconsin campuses in Madison, Whitewater, and River Falls.