Celebrating its 10th year, the North American Manure Expo will focus on “Professional Manure Management” with a wide variety of presentations to occur throughout the day. The expo combines three attractions – technology demonstrations, educational events and trade show – into a one-day national event.  

Beginning in 2001, the University of Wisconsin was approached by several custom manure applicators from around the region requesting a show that provides a side-by-side comparison of agitation and application equipment to help determine which best meets individual needs. From this request, the first show was born in August of 2001 near Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin.

The second show in 2003 was even larger than the first and soon it became a traveling event. The Manure Expo has been held in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Nebraska.

In 2012, the expo returns to its original location, the USDA Dairy Forage Research Center Farm in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, Aug. 22 and start making travel arrangements.

There is no cost to attend the expo, which is presented by the Professional Nutrient Applicators Association of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin Extension Nutrient Management Team, USDA Dairy Forage Research Center and is supported in part by a consortium of land grant universities and conservation agencies from across the U.S.

Below is a small portion of what to expect at the North American Manure Expo. Click here for more information.

Presentations
J. Mark Powell, research soil scientist with the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center (USDFRC), plans to discuss how the application of manure impacts corn yield, nitrogen uptake and relative nitrogen loss. This presentation will include partitioning of total manure nitrogen applied each of four years into relative amounts of nitrogen, taken up by corn, volatilized as ammonia, leached as nitrate and remaining in soil at trial’s end.

Another research soil scientist at USDFRC, Bill Jokela, will share information on recent innovations in application equipment that provide low-disturbance manure incorporation while maintaining surface residue in annual crops and even perennial forages. These improved methods increase the crop nitrogen utilization and economic value of manure, reduce the environmental impact, and improve the manure nitrogen-phosphorus balance for better nutrient management planning.

Additional topics and speakers include:
• Nitrification Inhibitors for Manure – Carrie Laboski, associate professor of soil science, University of Wisconsin – Madison

•The Impact of Time of Manure Application on Runoff and Dissolved Phosphorus Losses – Peter Vadas, research soil scientist, USDFRC

• Manure Nutrient Availability – Chris Baxter, associate professor of soil & crop science, University of Wisconsin – Platteville, and Carrie Laboski

• OSHA Rules Pertinent to Manure Haulers – Cheryl A. Skjolaas, director, University of Wisconsin Center for Agricultural Safety and Health

• Sand-laden Manure: Handling & Separation – Becky Larson, assistant professor of biological systems engineering, University of Wisconsin – Madison

• Manure Nutrient Content, Variation, Sampling Techniques, Etc. – John Peters, director, University of Wisconsin Soil Testing Laboratories

• Using Precision Agriculture Technology & Equipment for Manure Application & Management – Jim Leverich, University of Wisconsin – Extension on-farm research coordinator, and Dustin Ransom, T-K Ag Works, Darien, Wisconsin

• Manure Equipment Effects on Rural Roads & Bridges: Research Results – Kevin Erb, conservation training coordinator, University of Wisconsin – Extension

• Comparison of Phosphorus and Nitrogen Loss in Surface Runoff versus Tile Flow in Wisconsin Tile Drained Landscapes – Eric Cooley, University of Wisconsin – Discovery Farms

• Manure Application thru Irrigation – Chris Henry, assistant professor of biological systems engineering, University of Arkansas

Demonstrations
On-site demonstrations include manure pit agitation and pumping, liquid and solid manure application, and manure bag and dragline application. There will also be a manure spill demonstration to equip manure applicators and farmers the steps to take should they find themselves in a similar situation.

Pre-event tour
A tour of the Wisconsin Community Anaerobic Manure Digester will be held the afternoon of Aug. 21, the day prior to the Expo. One of a few community anaerobic digestion systems in the U.S., this site in Dane County, Wisconsin, accepts manure from three dairy farms. The farms are contracted to provide manure to a third party, which owns and manages the digestion system. The tour will cover each component of the digestion system as well basic operation and a look at the cooperative design, which was critical for the installation of this system.  PD

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Progressive Dairyman magazine