Download AG-NR-03.411-06.2 Manure

Manure Management
Georgia Agricultural Curriculum
Offices June 2011
Positives of Manure
• Can be used as a fertilizer to enrich the soil
• Cuts down on waste from farms
Manure Pollution
• When not managed properly, manure has
several properties that have the potential to
directly or indirectly contaminate the air, soil,
and water
Air Pollution
• Can be cause directly or indirectly by the release
of methane gas, ammonia, nitrogenous gases,
and noxious odors from feces and urine
• Also, it can be cause by anaerobic conditions in
stored manure, inadequate storage conditions,
or by having too many animals in too small a
place
Soil Pollution
• Can be caused if excessive amounts of the heavy
metals in manure (zinc and copper) get into the
soil or when the levels of nitrogen or
phosphorous in the soil become excessive
• This can be caused by too heavy of an
application of manure or the build up of manure
over the years of application
• Can be avoided by a proper monitoring of soil
nutrient levels at regular intervals
Water Pollution
• Can be caused by harmful bacteria in runoff of
manure from feedlots
• Nitrates from stored manure that has leached
through the soil are the main source of pollution
• Manure that has been spilled or improperly
spread on land too close to water sources can
also cause water pollution