Nutrient content of dairy slurry Slurry nutrient variability and nutrient prices Slurry data from UW soils lab (Marshfield, WI) First year available 715 statewide samples collected between 2002 and 2005 WI nutrient prices from USDA National Ag. Statistics Service (2008) † Value is for manure incorporated within 3 days. Manure nutrient mineralization: 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd, year nutrient credits † † Laboski et al ‡ Value is for manure incorporated within 3 days. Introduction Growth in herd size has left many Wisconsin dairy farmers with increasingly large quantities of manure to handle. This complicates comprehensive nutrient management planning and manure distribution on dairy farms. Simultaneously fertilizer prices have more than doubled since As a result of high fertilizer prices cash grain farmers are interested in alternative nutrient sources such as manure from nearby dairy farms. By transferring dairy slurry to nearby grain farms both parties may benefit from economic and nutrient conservation advantages. Economics of Hauling Dairy Slurry and Its Value in Wisconsin Corn Grain Systems Gregg R. Sanford †, Joshua L. Posner †, Gregg L. Hadley ‡ † Department of Agronomy, the University of Wisconsin – Madison ‡ Department of Agricultural Economics, the University of Wisconsin – River Falls Methods Enterprise budgets are used to evaluate breakeven hauling distances for: 1.manure generated and spread by the dairy enterprise: paid for by dairy “dairy scenario” 2.manure generated by the dairy but spread on a nearby grain farmers fields: costs shared “shared scenario” Economic sensitivity analysis is used to evaluate the impacts of: 1.Cost sharing 2.Soil test levels 3.Manure nutrient variability 4.Fertilizer and fuel prices. Research Questions 1.How much does it cost to load, haul, and spread slurry within a 5 mile radius of the slurry pit? 2.What is the value of dairy slurry in corn production systems? 3.If costs are shared between a grain and dairy enterprise, how far away can a grain farmer profit from using slurry? 4.How do soil test, manure nutrient concentration, and input prices (N, diesel) affect the cost-sharing hauling distance. Components required for enterprise budgets 1.Cost to empty a slurry pit and apply contents to field 2.Nutrient content of dairy slurry 3.Value of slurry as a fertilizer replacement 4.Grain enterprise data Cost of dairy slurry application Bids generated by custom manure haulers (38% of WI state fleet) Slurry pit size: 2 x 10 6 gal Application rate: ,000 gal ac -1 Truck capacity 4,000 gal Total Cost = Bid + Fuel Fuel Cost = truck fuel + pump fuel + agitator fuel 1 mile2 miles3 miles4 miles5 miles Bid $8,753$10,920$13,623$16,996$21,203 Fuel $4,118$5,130$6,053$7,398$8,971 Total to empty pit $12,871$16,00$19,676$24,394$30,174 Fertilizer replacement value of slurry 1.Value “in use”: value of dairy slurry as a replacement for purchased fertilizer 2.Value “in exchange”: price a consumer agrees to pay for the slurry In many cases the value “in use” is greater than the value “in exchange” for dairy slurry inherent nutrient variability difficulty calculating application rates soil compaction run-off odor Calculating the “in use” value of dairy slurry Value = [FC1 c – FC1 m ] – C m + PV y2&3 FC1 c : fertilizer cost to produce corn w/o manure FC1 m : fertilizer cost to produce corn w/manure C m : price paid to transport manure PV y2&3 : Present value of year 2 and 3 manure credits Determining the value of dairy slurry “in exchange” Affected by non-quantifiable factors considered by farmer soil carbon organic matter hassles associated with spreading manure In this study: Value “in exchange” = hauling and spreading costs beyond 1 mile Grain enterprise data PEPS (Profits Through Efficient Production Systems) UWEX corn growers competition: 10 year averages: Corn & Soybeans cash crops division Yield seed cost custom expenses harvest costs variable & fixed costs Results Effect of payment scenario and soil test levels Average slurry nutrient levels Sensitivity Analysis within the shared scenario at optimum soil test levels soil test = optimumsoil test = high distance lost to high soil nutrient levels Dairy scenario3.7 miles0.1 miles- 3.6 miles Shared scenario5.8 miles3.9 miles- 1.9 miles distance gained by sharing hauling cost miles miles Manure Nutrient Variability mean5.8 miles mean + 1 s.d.7.5 miles mean – 1 s.d.4.1 miles range3.4 miles Nitrogen Price 1999 ($0.22)4.7 miles 2008 ($0.66)5.8 miles %6.2 miles range1.5 miles Diesel Price 1999 ($0.73)6.7 miles 2008 ($3.61)5.8 miles %5.7 miles range1 miles Conclusions Manure in cash grain rotations provides: financial benefit: dairy & grain Improved nutrient management: dairy Improved soil condition: grain Grain farmers: benefit sharing cost if ≤ 5.5 miles Manure nutrient variability: major concern use book values, credit on the low side test manure seasonally values are known Importance of other factors soil test levels > N price > diesel price References Laboski, C.A.M, J.B. Peters, and L.G. Bundy Nutrient application guidelines for field, vegetable, and fruit crops. UWEX Report No. A2809. Madison, WI: the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Sanford, G.R., J.L. Posner, and G.L. Hadley Economics of hauling dairy slurry and its value in Wisconsin corn grain systems. J. Ag. Food & Env. Sci. 3(1): Saam, H., J.M. Powell, D.B. Jackson-Smith, W.L. Bland, and J.L. Posner Use of animal density to estimate manure nutrient recycling ability of Wisconsin dairy farms. Agricultural Systems. 84: Nutrient Fertilizer Price ($ lb -1 ) Average manureHigh NutrientsLow Nutrients Nutrients lbs 1000 gal -1 Value at 10,000 gal ac -1 Nutrients +1 s.d. Value at 10,000 gal ac -1 Nutrients – 1 s.d. Value at 10,000 gal ac -1 N†N† $ $5511.4$755.1$34 P2O5P2O5 $ $396.8$592.2$19 K2OK2O$ $7121.9$1019.0$41 Total-- $165--$235--$94 Available nutrients as a percent of 1 st year totals 1 st Year2 nd Year3 rd Year N‡N‡ 40%11%6% P2O5P2O5 60%10%5% K2OK2O 80%10%5%