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Manure Application Methods

Students:
Graduate students: Anne Place (phase 2, MS in '11) and Joe Lawrence (phase 2, MS in '08).

Faculty and Staff:
Quirine Ketterings and Greg Godwin (Nutrient Management Spear Program), Brent Gloy (BEE) and Curt Gooch and Karl Czymmek (PRO-DAIRY).

Participating Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators (2001-2007):
Shawn Bossard (CCE of Seneca County), Tom Kilcer (CCE of Rensselaer County), Brian Aldrich (CCE of Cayuga County), and Joe Lawrence (CCE of Lewis County).

Participating Research/Teaching Centers, Campus Faculty, Consultants:
Ev Thomas/Eric Young (Miner Institute), Peter Barney (Barney Consulting), Peg Cook (Cook's Consulting).

Funding Sources:
New York Farm Viability Institute and the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program.

Producer Impact Statements:

• Timing is Right for Manure Incorporation Study at Mapleview Dairy LLC in St Lawrence County. (10-23-2009)
• Lewis County Farmer Participates in Statewide Manure Incorporation Project. (8-27-2009)
• St Lawrence County Farmer Sees Promising Results from Manure Incorporation Trials. (7-22-2009)
• Cayuga County Dairy Tests Alternative Manure Incorporation Methods in On-farm Research. (7-20-2009)
• Eastern New York Dairy Looks to Gain Economic Benefits from Manure Study. (7-1-2009)
• Diverse Team Researches Manure Incorporation on Cayuga County Farm. (6-18-2009)
• Miner Institute Participates in Statewide Manure Application Method Project. (6-9-2009)
• Central New York Dairy Farm Family Reaps Benefits of Manure Management Trials. (3-13-2009)

Journal/Extension articles :

• Lawrence, J.R., Q.M. Ketterings, J.H. Cherney, S.E. Bossard, G.S. Godwin (2008). Tillage tools for manure incorporation and N conservation. Soil Science 173: 649-658.
• Place, A., Q.M. Ketterings, G. Godwin, K. Czymmek, S. Bossard, P. Barney, J. Lawrence, B. Aldrich, T. Kilcer (2009). Comparing manure incorporation methods in reduced till systems. What’s Cropping Up? 19(2): 4-5.

Additional Materials:

• Agronomy Fact Sheet #21: Nitrogen Needs for First Year Corn.
• Agronomy Fact Sheet #30: Soybean Nitrogen Credits.
• Agronomy Fact Sheet #31: Late Season Stalk Nitrate Test.
• Agronomy Fact Sheet #35: Nitrogen Guidelines for Corn.
• Agronomy Fact Sheet #36: Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test for Corn.
• Postcard: Save Money! No Needs to Sidedress First Year Corn.
• Calculator: Stalk Nitrate, ISNT and LOI Interpretations for Corn.

Stalk Nitrate Test:

• For sampling procedures: Agronomy Fact Sheet #31: Late Season Stalk Nitrate Test.
  • Note: 2008 research showed, after quartering of the stalk, three of four quarters can be discarded...combine one quarter per stalk and submit to the laboratory for analysis. Place samples (one per acre, 15 stalk minimum) in a paper back for transportation.
• Stalk Nitrate Test Powerpoint Slides (pdf).

Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory Stalk Nitrate and ISNT sample submission forms:

• Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory Stalk Nitrate Test submission form ($10/sample needs to be included with the submission).
• Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test submission form ($15/sample needs to be included with the submission).
  • Mail samples to:
    • CNAL, G01 Bradfield Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. (Phone: 607-255-4540).

Participate in Statewide Project (FREE ANALYSIS IF YOU SUBMIT STALK + SOIL SAMPLES WITH A COMPLETED SURVEY FORM!):

• Stalk Nitrate and ISNT Survey Submission Form. (if you submit stalk nitrate and soil samples (8 inches) with this form fully completed, the $25/sample fee will be waived):
  • Mail samples to:
    • Quirine Ketterings, Nutrient Management Spear Program, Department of Animal Science, 323 Morrison Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853.
  • Costs can only be covered if both stalk and soil samples are included and samples are submitted with a fully completed field history form.

Further information on this project can be obtained from Quirine Ketterings (qmk2@cornell.edu or 607 255 3061). You can also write to: Nutrient Management Spear Program, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, 323 Morrison Hall, Ithaca NY 14853.

Introduction

Objectives

• Determine impact of manure application methods on:
  • Yield and quality of corn silage/grain.
  • N conservation.
  • Surface residue coverage.
  • Compaction.
  • Moisture content of soil.

Phase 1 (2005-2007): Aurora Research Farm

Results were document in numerous popular press articles and a peer-reviewed paper:

• Lawrence, J.R., Q.M. Ketterings, J.H. Cherney, S.E. Bossard, G.S. Godwin (2008). Tillage tools for manure incorporation and N conservation. Soil Science 173: 649-658.
  

Phase 2 (2008-2009): Statewide Expansion: Ten On-Farm Sites

In 2008, we obtained funding from the New York Farm Viability Institute as well as the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program to continue this work and expand it with nine additional farm trials, located throughout New York State. This project is currentlty ongoing.