Available Nutrients For Manure From Various Livestock Types

Nutrients from manure have an economic value. With energy prices increasing, the processing and transportation cost of commercial fertilizers is making them more expensive. This is making nutrients from manure a more sought-after commodity. In addition to the nutrient benefits, the micro nutrient content and the organic matter benefits to the soil gives manure a value-added component that it is difficult to determine an exact dollar value for.

Tables 1 and 2 give an indication of the available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from various livestock types. The information is based on average analysis results for over 3,000 samples. The information in the tables has been grouped by livestock type on an “as-is” basis. There are large variations between manures, so a manure analysis is still your best guide to nutrient availability. Variation in dry matter, therefore nutrient concentration, is determined by the type and amount of bedding used, the feed ration, and the type of storage. Generally, the higher the moisture content of the manure, the less concentrated the nutrient content. The relative concentration of phosphorus is higher in solid manure, while potassium is higher in liquid manure. A few of the micro nutrients have also been included to give an indication of the levels found in manure. There is a wide range, even within livestock types, that vary mainly with micronutrients fed in the ration.

A few assumptions are made in the tables. The useable nitrogen is the amount of nitrogen available in the year of application, assuming the manure is spring applied and incorporated within 24 hours. There is also some nitrogen that is available in subsequent years, and this is higher in solid manures than in liquid manures. The value of the nitrogen is reflected in the column that reads ”Value Year 2-4”, which also reflects half of the total available phosphorus value.

The actual immediate nutrient value for crop production will be less than what is reflected in the tables if the nutrients being applied are not required for the production of the crop. An example of this is when nitrogen is applied to a legume crop, or when phosphorus and/or potassium is applied to a field with soil tests higher than 30 mg/L (ppm) or >150 mg/L (ppm) for P and K respectively.

The manure value is based on the purchase price of an equivalent amount of mineral fertilizer (October 2005). The micro nutrient and organic matter values are not reflected in the tables.

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¹ Nitrogen based on spring application, incorporated within 24 hours

² Nitrogen based on spring application, (soil surface, not incorporated)

³ Phosphate from manure or biosolids is assumed to be 40% as available in the year of application as that in commercial fertilizer (another 40% of the phosphorus is available the following year)

⁴ Potassium from manure is assumed to be 90% as available in the year of application as that in commercial fertilizer

⁵ Data from manure analysis provided from Ontario Labs collected between 1992 and 2004

⁶ Value based on spring application, incorporated within 24 hours with N-P205-K20 prices (Oct 2005) of $0.48 - $0.41 - $0.275 /lb

Data from manure analysis provided from Ontario Labs collected between 1992 and 2004

Micro nutrient data is obtained from a smaller subset of data

For more detailed tables visit the nutrient management section on the OMAFRA website.

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