Navigating fall manure applications

After an average moisture spring and a wetter than usual summer, many livestock farmers with out-of-barn manure storage are heading into fall with fuller than desired manure storage levels.

That makes this the season of compromise: balancing the urgency of full pits with the agronomics of nutrient timing and the logistics of fall application windows.

It isn't always easy, but a few key steps can help ensure that manure is used as a resource, not just removed as a liability.

Start with testing and equipment readiness

Let's start with a foundation that holds every year: sample first, spread second. Manure isn't a uniform product, and assuming it's the same as last year's analysis can lead to misapplied nutrients and missed opportunities.

Collect a representative sample, compare it to what you've seen in the past, and use test results and best judgment to set application rates that match crop needs.

Think of it like making a...