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Extension agent says manure instead of fertilizer is not for everyone

A University of Wisconsin Extension agent says replacing commercial fertilizer with manure might be feasible for some farmers, but not everyone.

Richard Halopka tells Brownfield getting manure from a manure pit to a field has a cost. “So, if you’re moving it a half a mile and it’s costing you a penny, you know you’re going to be getting ten to twelve dollars return. If you’ve got to haul it ten miles, it’s probably a break-even proposition.”

And, Halopka says many farmers will hesitate before using manure if the field primarily needs nitrogen. “So, a thousand gallons of dairy manure at book value is about ten pounds of N, five to six pounds of phosphorus, and about seventeen pounds of potassium. If I’m planting corn, I’m probably putting on too much phosphorus and I’m putting on more potassium than I need.”

Halopka says the level of phosphorus is his first concern because of runoff and water quality, and there’s also another reason some farmers may stay away from applying manure. “Am I going to get weed seeds? Am I going to get Roundup-resistant weeds? Because manure does bring weed seed back to the field.”

Halopka says manure is a good product but not enough farmers do the testing and calculate the nutrient credits from manure before applying commercial fertilizer.

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