Now is the time to plan for spreading manure in the winter
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EmailThere are five points to consider before you spread manure this winter.
Manure spreading in the winter is a practice that many Michigan farmers have to make. Farms that have a comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP) or a nutrient management plan (NMP) have already considered and decided where their winter nutrients are going to be utilized. Those farms that do not have a written plan need to carefully consider where they are going to spread. Here are some points that farms need to consider before they spread manure this winter.
- Have up-to-date sample information for both the manure being used and the soil.
- Correlate the amount of manure that is being spread on the field with the field’s soil sample.
- Choose fields that have low run-off potential.
- Map the fields maintaining buffers around surface waters and other sensitive areas. Do not forget drainage tile lines.
- Understand available tools that will help determine if it is appropriate to spread on a given day, check out this article by Shelby Burlew for more information on a tool that is available for Michigan farmers.
To learn more about spreading manure in the winter in Michigan, download "Manure Management - Spreading on Frozen and Snow Covered Ground (WO1038)" at http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/manure_management_spreading_on_frozen_and_snow_covered_ground_wo1038.
