Page 22 - December Newsletter

Nutrient Availability in Poultry ManureWritten By: Peter Tomlinson, Environmental Quality Specialist & Dorivar Ruiz Diaz , Nutrient Management SpecialistKelsi Wertz — Ag Agent kjwertz@ksu.eduPoultry litter can provide a significant sup-ply of nutrients for crop production in areas of Kansas where a supply of litter is available (Figure 1).Although Kansas is not a major producer of poultry, there is an abundant supply of litter from the nearby states of Arkansas, Missouri, and Ok- lahoma, which rank among the largest producers of poultry in the U.S. The acreage available to re- ceive poultry litter has been declining in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma in recent years because of environmental concerns and nutrient manage- ment regulations. Thus, litter availability in areas such as southeast Kansas has been on the rise.Poultry litter should serve as an excellentcomplement to commercial nitrogen (N) fertilizers.Phosphorus (P) content in poultry litter is usually high, and application rates should be based on P levels to avoid potential surface water contamination.Moisture content and nutrient concentration in poultry litter can be highly variable and depend mainly upon production conditions, storage, and handling methods. Therefore, laboratory analysis is the best way to determine the level of N and P in the material to be applied. Average values for the different types of poultry manure collected over a period of time are shown in Table 1. Actual laboratory analysis of 213 poultry manure samples from south- east Kansas is shown in Figure 2. There is a large range in nutrient values, likely due to the source of the litter. However, a good sample average to expect would be 56-53-46 (N-P-K).For maximum efficiency of manure use, it is essential to know the nutrient content of the manure. A laboratoryanalysis should be done on the poultry litter before applying it to land. A laboratory analysis provides information regarding nutrient levels, as well as the chemical forms of these nutrients. This information is necessary for an ad- equate estimation of nutrient availabil-ity and application rates.For more information, see K State Ex-tension publication MF-2562, “Estimating Manure Nutrient Availabil- ity,” at: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/ bookstore/pubs/MF2562.pdfFigure 2. Results of analysis of 213 samples of poultry manure from south- east Kansas. Sources: K-State Re- search and Extension.Check out Golden Prairie’s Extension Page on Facebook!https://www.facebook.com/GoldenPrairieDistrict