Determination of Whole Farm Nutrient Flows on a Dairy Operation

Project Overview

FW03-302
Project Type: Professional + Producer
Funds awarded in 2003: $6,000.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2006
Grant Recipient: Washington State University
Region: Western
State: Washington
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Joe Harrison
Email
Washington State University

Commodities

  • Animals: bovine

Practices

  • Animal Production: manure management
  • Education and Training: demonstration, display, farmer to farmer, networking, on-farm/ranch research
  • Farm Business Management: whole farm planning
  • Soil Management: nutrient mineralization, organic matter, soil quality/health
  • Sustainable Communities: sustainability measures

    Proposal abstract:

    The Werkhoven Dairy in western Washington is a leader in nutrient management planning, and it wants to stay that way. Andy and Jim Werkhoven’s nutrient management plan, as required by the state’s Dairy Nutrient Management Act of 1998, was approved and certified on April 9, 2002, well ahead of the approval deadline of July 2002 and the certification deadline of December 2003. In this Western SARE project, they will harness the expertise of nutrient management specialist Joe Harrison and in-line flow meters to determine the concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the liquid manure, manure solids and manure-laden sand used as bedding material. Coupled with soil tests, the measure of nutrient flows within and off the dairy will guide the Werkhovens and other dairy operators in long-term strategies to achieve whole farm nutrient balance.

    Project objectives from proposal:

     

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.