Utilizing Processed Swine Manure for Row Crop Production

This project is designed to compare the use of raw and processed swine manure and traditional inorganic fertilizer as soil amendments for corn and soybean production. The field site (University Farm at Lexington, IL) has uniform soil (Parr-Lisbon-Drummer Association), with 1 to 2% slope, good drainage, soil pH of 6, organic matter content of 4 to 5%, and good fertility. Soybean was grown at the site in 2003 and 2005; corn was grown in 2004 and 2006. Each plot consisted of sixteen 76 cm crop rows by 24 m in length. Four replicates are used in a randomized complete block design. Each replicate is separated by an 18 m grass strip. Within each replicate, each plot is separated by a 3 m grass strip. Six treatments were evaluated; processed liquid swine effluent, raw liquid swine manure, inorganic fertilizer nitrogen, two rates of compost made from separated solids of liquid swine manure, and zero rate control. The cost to process swine manure was approximately $11.00/Mg for the solid-separated compost and ¼¢/l for the liquid-separated effluent. In general, the zero rate control plot was the least productive treatment for corn, in contrast to the other treatments. For soybean, all six treatments usually responded in a similar fashion. After five years of annual treatment application, the processed liquid swine effluent and raw, liquid swine manure treatments were similar for most soil parameters. The separated solid compost treatments typically contained the greatest elemental concentrations of most measured soil parameters.