Optimizing manure and slurry application from intensive dairy farming operations

Manure is an important resource of carbon and nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorous, for soils. However, using manure effectively is beset with technical and logistical challenges. This chapter discusses the many of these issues and advances in using dairy manure, especially slurry, to replace commercial fertilizers and improve soils. The chapter deals with problems of preserving nutrients and providing the best crop response and carbon balance, with minimal impact on farms and their surroundings. The advances in using dairy slurry employ short and long term field studies, integrated farm management systems, and farmer based approaches. Directions for further improvements in using dairy manure are identified.