Manure Management Tips Shared at Central Dakota Ag Day

North Dakota producers attending Central Dakota Ag Day at the Carrington Research Center received practical advice on manure management and crop nutrition. “Is it manure or is it compost? Either one is good; both are tools in the box,” Mary Keena, Extension environmental management specialist, NDSU, said. “And uniform spread—if we have a crummy spreader, we might get uneven coverage across the field. Paying attention to uniformity ensures we’re getting the nutrients to the crops efficiently.” Keena stressed that proper composting and repeated turning can maximize nutrient availability and reduce pathogens. “If we’re pushing it up just once, we’re only going to get one cycle. We’re not necessarily killing weed seeds, pathogens, parasites, or getting the full volume reduction we could,” she said. Producers were encouraged to implement best practices to optimize their inputs, especially in a challenging economy. Keena noted, “All of it feels hard right now, so we want to make sure we’re using every dollar smart.”