Manure, when properly applied and credited as a plant nutrient on cropland, can be worth an estimated $107 an acre, Fischer said last week during Illinois Dairy Days at Eureka College in Woodford County.

“A lot of manure has some real nutrient value,” he said.

And anything of value may be of particular use to dairy producers at a time when feed costs have skyrocketed because of increased corn prices.

“This manure is going to bring back some money,” Fischer said.

A dairy cow can produce about 27 tons of manure each year, Fischer reported. But, rather than view daily animal waste as a liability, Fischer said producers should view it as 0.82 of a pound of nitrogen, 0.42 of a pound of phosphorus, and 0.48 of a pound of potassium that is produced each day from each cow.

Producers need a good nutrient management plan in order to get the most “bang for the buck” from manure, according to Fischer.

Source: Farm Week