by Joel DeRouchey, Extension Livestock Specialist
With fall season approaching, many livestock producers will be applying solid manure to fields post-harvest. Manure from livestock producers, both large and small, is recognized as a valuable fertilizer source. However, it certainly involves needed equipment and labor often above that needed to apply commercial sources when considering the scraping, hauling, spreading and potential tillage incorporation into the soil. All sharp penciled livestock producers understand with the dramatic shift in fertilizer prices for nitrogen and phosphorus, the value of manure has never been higher and more economical to use as fertilizer. With overall input costs soaring, livestock producers must utilize their manure effectively in their cropping operations and or in merchandising the manure as a potential revenue stream.
