HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sutton, A. L. Articles by Hill, D. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Sutton, A. L. Articles by Hill, D. L.

Application of Cattle Waste on Sloping Cropland^1,2,

Department of Animal Sciences and Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907

ABSTRACT

Effects of applying cattle manure to sloping cropland on runoff water quality, corn yield and composition, and soil chemical composition were evaluated in a 4-yr field study. Dairy cattle slurry (6 to 8% dry matter) at 25 and 105 t/ha during yr 1 and 2 and solid beef manure (22 to 24% dry matter) at 49 and 52 t/ha during yr 3 and 4 were surface-applied to .81 and 1.05 ha watersheds with a 6% slope. Manure applications increased corn yields compared to the control, especially with the higher rates of dry matter application the last 2 yr of the study. Corn leaf nutrient concentrations tended to reflect changes in nutrient loading from manure applications. Soil nitrate nitrogen, exchangeable phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium tended to increase with manure application. Nutrient concentrations in runoff water were not elevated adversely by manure application. Mild winter weather during the study allowed for some adsorption of waste nutrients in the soil. With relatively mild winter weather, applying up to 105 t/ha of liquid cattle slurry or 52 t/ha of solid cattle waste annually to cropped land with a 6% slope did not present a significant pollutant problem.

¹ Journal Paper No. 8070, Purdue University Agriculture Experiment Station. Supported in part by a grant from the Associated Milk Producers, Inc.

² The authors acknowledge the assistance of E. Baugh and R. Blankenship for sample and data collection and J. Rierden and D. Kelly for chemical analyses.