11-21 IAN Design Manure

 A promising technology to reduce dairy odors, “designer manures,” and other presentations about using animal wastes and fertilizers has

been sponsored by University of Idaho Extension.  

Mario E. de Haro-Marti of University of Idaho Extension’s Gooding County office said the program has expanded from scientists who prepare and manage nutrient plans to farmers and others who make the plans reality. Here he is: “The technology basically is a modification of the diet and it is a mix of different techniques. ” 

Most dairies, for example have three diets they routinely feed cows in different stages of the milking cycle, from shortly after they freshen with the birth of a calf to the peak of milk production to when they’re dry. Reviewing the nutrient content of each diet to strike a balance between proper cow nutrition and excess nutrients can significantly reduce emissions, de Haro-Marti said. “And by admissions we talk about gaseous emissions such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, odors but also the volume of manure in the case of cows.” Many dairy operators err on the side of giving a cow too much protein and phosphorus in their feed to make sure she has enough for optimum health and milk production, he said. That can mean too much nitrogen and phosphorus coming out, which present additional challenges for farmers trying to keep soil chemistry in balance in fields where the manure is spread.