What advanced manure management strategies work best in grazing systems to recycle nutrients and minimize runoff?

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juliabarney02 · Accepted Answer

If you want to keep your nutrients on the paddock and out of the creek, here&rsquo;s what works:

Keep the cows moving. Short rotations, tight grazing windows. Don&rsquo;t let them hang around in one spot too long or they&rsquo;ll load it up with manure and beat the grass down.

Watch the water points. If you always put the trough in the same place, you&rsquo;ll end up with a manure patch there. Move water and minerals around so the nutrients get spread.

Don&rsquo;t let them camp in wet spots. Use a sacrifice paddock or laneway when it&rsquo;s muddy so you&rsquo;re not destroying good pasture and sending runoff downstream.

High traffic areas? Clean &lsquo;em. If manure builds up around the dairy shed, feed pads, or laneways, scrape it up and spread it back where the pasture needs it.

Use the soil tests. You&rsquo;ll be surprised&mdash;some paddocks will be rich in nutrients, others lagging. Spread the manure or compost where it&rsquo;s short, not where it&rsquo;s already loaded.

Think buffers. Grass strips, tree lines, or riparian areas can catch nutrients before they hit the water.

Time it right. Avoid heavy grazing or spreading just before a big rain&mdash;nothing good comes from watching your nutrients wash away.

Bottom line: keep the manure where the grass can use it. Move the cows, move the shade, move the water, and clean up the hot spots.

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What advanced manure management strategies work best in grazing systems to recycle nutrients and minimize runoff?

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