Value of maximising nutrient profile of slurry
Dairy farmers are urged to utilise the power of slurry additives to tackle rising input costs.
With the increasing challenge to maintain profitability while balancing the mounting pressure to meet environmental targets, soil health specialists are encouraging farms to look at the advantages of slurry additives.
The UK produces 48 million tonnes of slurry each year – 30 times more than the amount of fertiliser sold, so by improving its nutrient profile, there is a real business case to reduce the use of artificial fertilisers.
David Newton, technical product manager at Timac Agro, explains these solutions can play a vital role in turning a by-product into a high-value nutrient source, offering both financial and soil health benefits.
When looking to manage the rising cost of inputs, the nutrient value of slurry can significantly reduce the amount of artificial fertiliser required to secure a strong crop and therefore make significant cost savings.
Mr Newton says: “When well-managed, slurry can contain over £5 per tonne in total nutrients, which soon adds up to a sizeable saving.
“Up to £4 worth of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is readily available to the treated crop.
“If you’re spreading 20 to 30 tonnes per hectare, you could benefit from up to £120 per hectare saving in artificial fertiliser costs.”
He adds: “The financial benefits are escalated in the soil, with the addition of organic matter and its ability to slowly release nitrogen as it breaks down, along with all the micronutrients slurry brings.”
While improvements to infrastructure, such as covering slurry stores, is the most effective way of improving the value of readily available nutrients and organic matter, Mr Newton explains careful nutrient management does not have to require large capital investments.
“A well-rounded nutrient management plan should improve the performance of slurry, but also make its management easier, which is why we recommend a slurry additive to take full advantage of what’s available,” he says
“They’re a great way of maximising manure N, P and K availability and bringing them closer to what artificial fertiliser could provide.
Mr Newton says Timac Agro’s solution, ActiPost 360, is a powder conditioner that can improve slurry’s nitrogen retention by as much as 27% and phosphorous by 33%.
Using a combination of microorganisms, brown algae, and specific adsorbent clays, ActiPost 360 activates the composting and mineralisation process in both solid manure and slurry, while actively capturing ammonium to reduce losses and eliminate odours, an important consideration in today’s farm scenarios.
Mr Newton says additives also improve the handleability of slurry by reducing the level of crusting on top of the store, reducing the need for stirring so saving time and diesel, making it easier to pump and increasing storage capacity by making sores easier to empty.
