Make the Most of It
Using livestock manure to fertilize cropland is nature’s original recycling program, and recycling locally available manure nutrients before importing inorganic fertilizer is key to protecting the environment. When used together, manure and inorganic fertilizer meet the immediate and longer-term nutrient needs of crops. But manure also provides organic matter, which feeds soil organisms that are critical to maintaining optimal soil productivity and resilience. More resilient cropland means greater crop productivity, lower risks for runoff and erosion that can carry contaminants to surface water, and more efficient conversion of organic nutrients to plant-available forms.
Where livestock are plentiful, manure is plentiful. And when used according to best management practices, manure benefits crops, soil and the environment. The UNL Animal Manure Management Team knows that “manure happens.” Our goal is to provide resources and tools to help farmers “make the most of it.”