Often underestimated, one tonne of manure is worth between €12 and €18 per tonne at current fertiliser (N, P, K) and amendment (Ca, Mg and organic matter) prices.
On a farm with a 60-dairy-cow herd (including replacements), this represents 1,500 tonnes of manure produced per year – equivalent to €22,500 per year of added value available in the manure store.
To maximise profitability, it is important to:
- Produce effluents with the highest possible nutrient content
- Manage effluents so that as many nutrients as possible are taken up by your crops
Let’s get straight to the point with a case study from a dairy farm in Maine-et-Loire:
CONTENTS
Current situation
At whole-crop rotation level, the farmer, supported by their trusted VERTAL distributor technician, assessed the overall balance between crop nutrient removal, natural soil mineralisation, mineral fertilisers and effluents.
The conclusion is clear: out of €22,500 per year, the farm only makes use of 54% of its effluents, representing a loss of €10,300.
The action plan
When too rich in ammonia, manure has an immediate fertilising effect that mainly benefits weeds (as seeds have very low nutrient requirements during the germination phase).
On this farm, the solution VERTAL FERTIFUM, which promotes the aerobic evolution of manure, made it possible to maximise the proportion of fertilising elements in organic form in dairy cow manure.
This approach is better suited to pre-sowing application and helps limit weed pressure.
Manure was applied only to maize at 45 t/ha, with no application before wheat or catch crops, resulting in a heavy application every other year. This practice, combined with poorly evolved manure (rapidly available), only partially meets crop needs at whole-rotation level and is particularly unsuited to soil biological activity (in the same way that a diet too rich in rapidly fermentable sugars leads to rumen acidosis in dairy cows).
On this farm, with the support of their VERTAL distributor technician, the farmer carried out an agronomic diagnosis to identify the soil’s actual needs and its mineralisation potential, as well as an effluent diagnosis to determine its precise value and fertilisation dynamics, both in spring and autumn.
Based on this initial assessment, they jointly defined an application strategy better aligned with crop requirements and soil functioning.
Results
Implemented for over five years, this strategy has increased effluent utilisation from 54% to 88%, resulting in savings of €7,600 per year on mineral fertilisers and amendments, with equivalent yields.
Often underestimated, one tonne of manure is worth between €12 and €18 per tonne at current fertiliser (N, P, K) and amendment (Ca, Mg and organic matter) prices. On a farm with a 60-dairy-cow herd (including replacements), this represents 1,500 tonnes of manure produced per year – equivalent to €22,500 per year of added value […]
...Often underestimated, one tonne of manure is worth between €12 and €18 per tonne at current fertiliser (N, P, K) and amendment (Ca, Mg and organic matter) prices. On a farm with a 60-dairy-cow herd (including replacements), this represents 1,500 tonnes of manure produced per year – equivalent to €22,500 per year of added value […]
...Often underestimated, one tonne of manure is worth between €12 and €18 per tonne at current fertiliser (N, P, K) and amendment (Ca, Mg and organic matter) prices. On a farm with a 60-dairy-cow herd (including replacements), this represents 1,500 tonnes of manure produced per year – equivalent to €22,500 per year of added value […]
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