By Blake Jackson
The University of Missouri (MU) Extension is conducting groundbreaking research on using pig manure as a crop fertilizer at the MU Bradford Research Farm in Columbia.
The study focuses on corn yields and soil health across three different treatments on a five-acre plot, according to Teng Lim, an extension professor specializing in agricultural systems technology within the MU Division of Plant Science and Technology.
The three treatments under study include pig manure injected into the soil, a combination of manure and starter fertilizer, and solely chemical fertilizer. Local pig producers and custom manure applicators are actively participating in this manure land-application research.
Preliminary results from the first year of the study, concluding with the 2024 harvest, showed that plots treated with chemical fertilizer had the lowest corn yields, averaging 150 bushels per acre.
Conversely, plots using only pig manure yielded over 170 bushels per acre, the highest among the treatments. Plots with pig manure combined with starter fertilizer performed somewhere in between, with strong initial growth observed.
“We were surprised and encouraged by results showing that pig manure produced the highest yields,” Lim stated. However, he noted that these findings represent only one year of data, emphasizing the influence of weather and soil conditions on crop yields and the need for further study.
Corn requires significant fertilization, and pig manure is often applied to cornfields. Lim added, “There are typically no safety concerns, as corn and many other crops are not harvested soon after the manure application, especially when the pig manure is injected into the ground for better nutrient conservation and environmental protection.”
The five-year study spans multiple Midwestern states and is funded by the National Pork Board. Soil health analyses are being conducted by South Dakota State University, the lead institution in the project. Initial soil samples were collected to depths of 24 inches, with additional samples to be taken throughout the study.
“The goal of this multistate study is to learn about the effects of swine manure on soil nutrients and soil health properties and compare corn grain yields with reference to commercial fertilizer,” Lim explained.
Lim also acknowledged the collaborative efforts of custom applicators, farmers, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, and research farm staff and students.
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Categories: Missouri, General