Ammonia Emissions from Field- Applied Manure: Management for Environmental and Economic Benefits Bill Jokela 1 and Jack Meisinger 2 Research Soil Scientists, USDA-ARS Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, WI 1 Beltsville Agric. Research Center, Beltsville, MD 2 WI Fertilizer, Aglime, and Pest Management Conference 1/17/2008, Madison, WI

Overview: Ammonia Loss from Manure Issues and Concerns Factors in Ammonia Volatilization Management Practices to Control Ammonia Emissions –Annual Crops –Grassland, Perennial Forages Economics: N- and P-based application.

Why the concern about ammonia losses? Loss of N for crops ($) Reduces N:P ratio in manure –N-based appl: more P build-up in soil –P-based appl: buy more fertilizer N Eutrophication of surface waters (esp. marine, estuary) via atmospheric deposition Air quality – form fine particulates

NH 3 Emissions from Cattle Operations in the UK Misselbrook et al., 2000

NH 4 -N Urea-N Ammonia (NH 3 ) NH 4 +, NO 3 - Mineralization Plant- available N Organic N NH 4 +, NO3 - Leaching, Runoff Denitrification Soil Organic N Manure N Pathways Manure-N Slow Fast

Pattern of NH 3 Loss vs Time Dairy Slurry on Corn Stubble, VT NH 3 -N Loss RateCumulative NH 3 -N Loss Jokela and Meisinger, 2004

More Research Examples: NH 3 Emission from Dairy Slurry Rapid NH 3 loss initially Most lost in first 4-6 hours Very little lost after hours Shows importance of early action to control NH 3 loss (incorporation, etc.) Meisinger, 2004

Factors in NH 3 Losses from Land Application of Manure Manure characteristics: NH 4 -N, %DM Weather: Wind, temperature, rainfall Soil properties: pH, CEC Surface residue or vegetation Application Methods/Incorporation –Time until incorporation by tillage or rain –Tillage method –Injection, direct incorporation, etc.

Tillage to Control Ammonia Loss Timing is critical!

Tillage Effects on NH 3 Loss Dairy Slurry (MD, Wind Tunnel, 7d) Thompson and Meisinger, 2002

Manure N and Silage Corn Yields Tillage x Manure x N Fertilizer, VT (+M = 25 T/A Semi-solid dairy manure) + Manure, No-Till –PSNT: 12, 10 ppm –N Fert. Need: 50 lb/A + Manure, MB or Chisel Plow –PSNT: 32, 24 ppm –N Fert. Need: 0 Jokela, 2004

Solid (bedded) Dairy Manure (vs Liquid Manure) Lower NH 4 -N Content (as % of Total N) NH 3 Loss (% of applied) –May be less initially –More overall Tillage the best (only) option to incorporate Jokela et al., 2004

Injection (Sweep) Direct Incorporation Methods: Annual Crops

Shallow Incorporation (s-tine harrow)

Manure Application Method and N Availability (PSNT) Jokela et al., 1999

Many Options

Sweep Injection MN Extension Manure Field Day, Pine Island, MN. 8/06 Click image to play movie

Ball-Coelho, Ontario Manure and Zone-tillage = “zone-jection” Ontario Incorporate while maintaining residue (conservation tillage)

WI Research: Manure Application Methods for No-till Silage Corn USDA-ARS DFRC Farm –Prairie du Sac, WI –Powell, Misselbrook, Russelle, Jokela Methods: Liquid dairy manure, 8000 gal/A –Surface broadcast –Narrow-shank injection –Aeration tine incorporation (AerWay) Measurements –Yield, N uptake –Ammonia emission, nitrate leaching, N and P runoff

Manure Injection

Aeration Tine (AerWay)

Cumulative NH 3 Emission Selected Application Periods NH3-N, kg N ha -1

Summary: Manure Application Method and Ammonia Loss Typical pattern – rapid loss early NH 3 Loss –Brdcst > AerWay > Inject –Varied with year, conditions Direct incorporation reduced NH 3 loss

Another Alternative: Sidedress Manure? S-Tine Cultivator, VT

Sidedress Injection Ontario (Ball-Coehlo) Another window to apply manure May be drier conditions Excellent N availability and yields Some limitations

What about manure on grass/perennial forages?

Can’t incorporate on grass …or can you? MN Extension Manure Field Day, Pine Island, MN. 8/06 Click image to play movie

Sliding Shoe/Trailing Foot

Drop-hose Applicator ( Sweden)

NH 3 Reductions on Grassland (UK) Application MethodReduction Drop-hose 10-20% Trailing Shoe/foot40-60% Shallow Injection60-70%

Trailing Foot Applicator, VT

Sub-surface deposition (SSD) manure applicator (AerWay) British Columbia S. Bittman, BC

Aeration Tine Cultivator MN Extension Manure Field Day, Pine Island, MN. 8/06 Click image to play movie

Match Manure to Crop Needs: Effect of NH 3 -N Conservation Crop Need (corn): 100 N, 40 P 2 O 5 lb/A Dairy Manure –23 TN, 11 NH 4 -N, 10 P 2 O 5 per 1000 gal –8% DM Compare time of incorporation –Spring-apply, inject or incorporate <1 hr –Spring-apply, incorporate in 7 days

N-Based Manure Rate Manure N Recommendations, NE and NC States Spring-apply, incorporate in 7 days –Avail N: 5-8 lb/1000 gal –Manure rate (100 lb Fert Equiv): 12,500-20,000 gal/A –Excess P: lb P 2 O 5 Spring-apply, incorporate in 1 hr –Avail N: 9-15 lb/1000 gal –Manure rate (100 lb Fert Equiv): 7,000-11,000 gal/A –Excess P: lb P 2 O 5 Difference –Manure rate: 4,000-9,000 gal/A –Potential value of N and P (fert equiv w/ spring appl, 1 hr) N: $18-54 N) P: $15-34 P 2 O 5 )

P-Based Manure Rate 4000 gal/acre to supply 40 lb P 2 O 5 Spring-apply, incorporate in 7 days –Supplies lb/acre avail. N –Need lb more N = $34-40 $.50) Spring-apply, incorporate in 1 hr –Supplies lb/acre avail. N –Need lb more N = $20-32 Difference = $8-14/acre

Summary: Manure Management to Control Ammonia Loss Surface manure = NH 3 -N loss, environmental problems, odor, economic loss. Quick incorporation is best solution Several options available for annual crops, conservation tillage, and grassland Manure incorporation = better match with crop need = save $ and environment