Manure Issues & The Texas Fertilizer Law R. D. Hoestenbach, Jr. ASFFPCO June 22-25, 2003 Fort Worth, Texas

The biggest challenge facing animal agriculture today is environmental.

Environmental issues are further complicated by concentrating animals and inefficiently utilizing manures.

There is no reliable data that allows for a true assessment of the true economic value of manure based on its agronomic and environmental value.

FY 2000 Texas Manure Production* Combined Cattle118,301,875 Combined Cattle118,301,875 Combined Swine 439,619 Combined Swine 439,619 Sheep 876,000 Sheep 876,000 Combined Poultry and Litter 3,037,593 Combined Poultry and Litter 3,037,593 Horse 4,927,500 Horse 4,927,500 Total127,582,587 *Estimate by Texas A&M University for Texas Manure Management Issues, in “tons” based on confined animal population models.

Management strategies, currently, are only focusing on how to deal with excess manure. Export has not proven viable economically.

When properly used, manure is a resource and should be regulated. Risse, et.al.

§ Commercial Fertilizer. (c) The excreta of an animal, plant remains, or mixtures of those substances, are not commercial fertilizers subject to this chapter if no claim of essential plant nutrients is made.

In the future, manure prices are going to have to increase to their true value to meet the expenses of transportation and application.

Manure can be an excellent source of macro and secondary nutrients for plants, however, nutrients in manure may be much less (or more slowly) available than those of traditional commercial fertilizers, complicating the determination of appropriate application rates.

But, slow release may contribute to better utilization by the plants and reduced nutrient loss to the environment.

Manure application can have a significant impact on soil quality, due to increased water holding capacity, infiltration, and porosity. It can also effect the cation exchange and buffering capacity, enabling greater retention of nutrients for longer periods of time.

Land application of manures results in a greater sequestering of carbon resulting in a reduction of both CO 2 and methane.

Despite these benefits, there are numerous impediments that discourage the application of manures, including water quality issues from both runoff and infiltration, nutrient availability, high transportation and application costs, as well as, public perception, esp. regarding odor.

Potential pollutants include organics, nutrients, and pathogenic bacteria, with nutrients being the most common problem currently.

The ratio of N:P is very low and contributes to the accumulation of phosphorus in the soil. Phosphorus becomes increasingly mobile in the soil as concentrations increase, limiting the extent of repeat applications without impact.

The variability and uncertainty of the nutrients in manure, as well as, the lower overall nutrient content, leads many farmers to choose the ease of commercial fertilizer use.

Processing could help answer the challenge of manure use. inexpensive nutrient tests for on-farm use. inexpensive nutrient tests for on-farm use. reduce the weight, thereby reducing transportation and application costs. reduce the weight, thereby reducing transportation and application costs. odor control. odor control. blending/combining with traditional commercial fertilizers. blending/combining with traditional commercial fertilizers.

References Goodwin, H.L., Practical Aspects of Manure Marketing, National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management. White Paper Summaries, (accessed ). Risse, L. M., M. L. Cabrera, A. J. Franzluebbers, J. W. Gaskin, J. E. Gilley, R. Killorn, D. E. Radcliffe, W. E. Tollner, and H. Zhang, Land Application of Manure for Beneficial Reuse, National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management. White Paper Summaries, (accessed ). Texas Animal Manure Management Issues (TAMMI) Website, Texas A&M University System, (accessed ).

Thank you for your attention!