Transcript Surface Spreading on Frozen and Snow Covered Fields

Surface Spreading
on
Frozen and Snow Covered
Fields
Minimize, Prioritize, Strategize
Dann Bolinger, Dr. Tim Harrigan, Dr. Lee Jacobs, Natalie Rector, MSU Extension
Vicki Anderson, USDA NRCS
C:manure teaching/Nov 2003/surface spread
Goals
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Manage manure storage to maintain
freeboard
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Obtain greatest economic value from
manure
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Recycling manure nutrients for crop
Add micro nutrients to crops
Improve soil quality
Be environmentally responsible
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May need to spread on frozen and snow
covered fields to maintain freeboard
Protect waters of the state
Sustain livestock operations
Surface spreading in
general
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Winter spreading is prevalent on many
dairy farms, for at least a portion, if not
all, of the manure.
Many of the same concerns for spreading
on frozen and snow cover soils are the
same for any time manure is surface
applied
Winter spreading adds the concern of
frozen soils, no immediate infiltration,
snow melt, thawing of soils and eventual
rain.
Michigan, Part 31-Water Resources Protection
of Public Act 451 of the Natural Resources and
Environmental Protection Act states:
“A person shall not directly or indirectly discharge
into waters of the state a substance that is or may
become injurious to any of the following: a) to the
public health, b) to domestic, commercial,
industrial, agricultural, recreational or other uses
that are being made or may be made of such
waters, c) to the value or utility of riparian lands,
d) to livestock, wild animals, birds, fish, aquatic
life, or plants or to the growth propagation, or the
growth or propagation thereof be prevented or
injuriously affected; or whereby the value of fish
and game is or may be destroyed or impaired.”
In Short. . .
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Keep manure, and all other nutrients
and pathogens out of surface
waters, ditches, streams and
wetlands.
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Includes runoff from land applied
manure, open lots, bunker silos,
compost piles and spoiled feed.
Why?
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It’s the law
It makes sense
Nitrogen
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Phosphorus
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primarily groundwater, but surface water
problem too
algae bloom
Organic Matter from manure or other
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Increases BOD results in fish kills
Winter or not. . . .
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If any size producer has a direct discharge
to surface waters, they will come under
DEQ enforcement
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Will develop a Comprehensive Nutrient
Management Plan
• Expensive but beneficial
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Potential for fines and penalties
If over 1000 animal units will fall under the
Permit
Peer Pressure to do the right thing for all of
Michigan livestock producers
Winter spreading could be regulated in the state
Right to Farm
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“Manures should not be applied to soils
within 150 ft. of surface waters or areas
subject to flooding unless:
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a) manures are injected or surface-applied
with immediate incorporation (48 hrs)
b) conservation practices are used to
protect against runoff and erosion losses to
surface waters”
Right to Farm
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“As land slopes increase from zero
percent, the risk of runoff and erosion
also increases, particularly for liquid
manure. Adequate soil and water
conservation practices should be used
which will control runoff and erosion for a
particular site, taking into consideration
such factors as type of manure, bedding
material used, surface residue or
vegetative conditions, soil type, slope,
etc.”
Right to farm, specific to winter
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“Application of manure to frozen or
snow-covered soils should be avoided,
but where necessary,
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A) solid manures should only be applied to
areas where slopes are 6% or less
B) liquid manures should only be applied to
soils where slopes are 3% or less.
In either situation, provisions must be
made to control runoff and erosion with
soil and water conservation practices such
as vegetative buffer strips between surface
waters and soils where manure is applied.”
Factors that influence runoff
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No single factor causes manure to reach
surface waters; it is generally a
combination of circumstances related to
application rate and timing, soil
conditions, crop residue, moisture
content of manure and weather.
Likewise, no set of circumstances
guarantee manure won’t reach surface
waters.
Weather changes day to day and so does
risk
Factors can control:
Rate
 Timing
 Field selection
 Proximity to water
 Inject/incorporate
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Cannot control:
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Weather
Topography
 Can prioritize
fields
 Can split
fields
•Who is ultimately
responsible?
YOU!
Who knows the
fields and risks the
best?
Winter time manure can be done
responsibility with careful planning
and attention to detail, prior to
making applications.
Assessing Risks
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How close, if at all, are surface waters?
Normal pathways that surface runoff follows
when heavy rains or spring melt occurs.
Slope of field
Erosive areas already carrying solids offsite
Soil type, tillage, rotation
Gradual slope
Options:
Select another field
Set backs during spreading
Permanent buffer
Rates, types of manure
Tillage, surface roughness
Plant rows on the contour
Incorporate when possible
Steep slope and water
close
>6% slope, no spreading on frozen or snow covered
>3% no liquid manures
Divide field and spread on flat areas
Find a lower risk field
Conservation practices may help but not a guarantee
Inject/incorporate whenever soil permits.
Concern: Nutrient movement
with eroded soil during summer;
could also happen in winter.
Steep slopes, low crop
residues
concentrated water
flow
What’s across the fence?
Assess fields in the spring
and fall to indicate risks
for winter
Areas that are prone to wash are
generally not a surprise to producer
Clean tilled next to ditch
increases chance of
concentrated flow into ditch.
If this happens in the summer,
what about winter?
Surface drainage is often necessary, but
remember it was designed to move flow to
a surface water area.
Even “flat” fields have flow to them
during spring thaw
Surface drainage is designed to carry water to
the inlet and carry it to an outlet. What will
happen to manure during a thaw?
Assessing Risks
Use maps to locate water
 Use your knowledge
 Drive the perimeter of all fields,
investigate areas of trees, grasses,
untilled areas
 Assess proximity to water
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Distance
 What’s in between?
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Standing water
Right to Farm Guidelines
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“Liquid manures should be applied in
a manner that will NOT result in
ponding or runoff to adjacent
property, drainage ditches, or
surface water.”
Soil conditions
Soil type
 Loosen soil to increase permeability
 Increase surface roughness
 Decrease application rate
 Maintain appropriate set-backs
 Inject/incorporate whenever
possible during winter
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Conservation Practices
Manage for residue
 Plant cover crops
 Install permanent buffer strips and
grass waterways
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Never spread manure directly over a
grass water way
Strip crop and contour plant
Weather
Past, current and tomorrow, next
spring
 Make actions based on assuming the
worst conditions will occur, with
prevention in mind
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Human options
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Assess and plan ahead
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Prioritize fields from least to most vulnerable
and utilize the plan
Application rates
Increase storage capacity
Keep records
Evaluate your actions
Have a plan in place,make daily decisions
Know how many acres are needed for
winter spreading and PLAN them ahead of
time
Determine how many acres need for
6 months if apply at 2 years of P2O5
per application
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Assume 100 cow dairy generates
approximately 18,000 pounds of as
excreted, P2O5 per year
Spreading at two years of crop removal
for corn silage and hay is approximately
60 lbs. per acre P2O5, or 120 lbs. for
two years
18,000 ÷ 120 = 150 acres,
half in winter = 75 acres.
(worst case, realistically 4-5 months)
Number
of
mature
cows
Est. As
excreted
P2O5 per
year
Acres
needed at
120 lbs.
P2O5 crop
removal
Acres
needed for
6 months
100
18,000
150
75
300
54,000
450
225
500
90,000
750
375
1000
180,000
1500
750
Assumes a soil test and cropping plan where the goal is to apply
manure at a rate that supplies two years of P2O5 crop removal
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The previous are just some rough
assumptions; Utilize your livestock
numbers and soil tests to determine
the acres needed for spreading on
frozen and snow covered fields on
your farm
Tools to help
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Your knowledge
Maps– FSA, soil survey
Work with NRCS, SCD, 5 MAEAP
technicians or professional consultants to
run a Manure Application Risk Index
(MARI)
MAEAP technicians in: Ottawa, Clinton,
Cass, Huron and Kalamazoo Counties
SCD offices
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Plans are only good if they are
followed
Communicate to family and farm
employees who are doing spreading
 Keep records
 Evaluate your actions
 Have emergency plans in place and
known by everyone
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Minimize
–Longer storage; know acres needed for winter
–Decrease potentially clean water that goes to
storage so storage fills up slower, less to haul
Prioritize
–Know your fields and how many acres needed
–Assess fields and rank them for risks, selecting
least risk areas; adjust daily
Strategize
–Plan for all conditions between application and spring
–Setbacks, buffers, cover crops, rates, inject
–Keep records and evaluate your actions
With so many choices, Scruffy only
wishes he drank all the water in
his bowl.