Description of practice
Animal manure is commonly applied to supply nutrients to a field. Addition of organic matter is generally a secondary objective, but it is an important way of avoiding soil organic matter depletion. There is a potential risk of eutrophication affecting water quality.
| Examples of how to use animal manure | Further information (see Note below) |
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Farmyard manureFarmyard manure is a mixture of dung, urine, bedding material and fodder residues left to decompose for > 4 months. It is spread using a rear discharge spreader or wheelbarrow and incorporated into the soil to increase soil fertility and structure. |
»WOCAT technology 3063 |
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Chicken manureChicken manure should be mixed with straw before application. It contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and improves soil structure. It can also be used for composting. |
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CorrallingAnimals are corralled on cropland for the mutual benefit of both crop farmers and pastoralists. Crop residues are used as fodder and animal dung is used as a fertilizer. |
»WOCAT technology 3342 |
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Manure application in dripper pointsManure is annually applied to holes dug at the foot of orchard trees underneath the nozzle locations of a drip irrigation system. This enhances soil organic content over the long term, impacting orchard productivity and making the trees less prone to pests and diseases. |
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Note: Most of the Further information links are to a full description of the example in the WOCAT database. However sometimes the link may be to similar practices or a research paper. Occasionally the link is to a commercial product in which case it should be understood that this does not imply any endorsement of the product by iSQAPER.