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Manure & Soil Analysis
Soil fertility management
Soil and manure analysis are significant in farming as they enable farmers to evaluate the fertility, nutrient composition, and overall condition of their manure and soil.
Measuring soil nutrients, pH and organic matter
Animal manure applications can increase soil organic matter in medium- to long-term application periods. Subsequently, manure contributes to improved soil by reducing soil bulk density and compaction, as well as increasing aggregate stability, water infiltration and retention. Whilst adding manure helps reduce erosion, ponding and crop stress, it can cause imbalances in the natural levels of nutrients within the soil, so it is important for farmers to understand what nutrients are in the manure they are spreading, and the impact this is likely to have overall.
Soil Health Testing
Several scientific studies have demonstrated the positive effects of manure on soil biological properties, and its impact in microbes and larger fauna. When compared with inorganic fertilizer applied at the same nutrient rates, manure has a greater effect on soil biological activity. Soil biology is composed of all live organisms within the soil (plant roots, earthworms, fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, algae, protozoa, nematodes, mites, springtails, and small insects). All of them play an important role in building soil health, facilitating soil organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling and soil particles aggregation. For these reasons, their abundance and activity have a direct impact on the availability of nutrients that plants can absorb to grow.
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Knowing what soil you have and what state it’s in can give you the knowledge to make good decisions for your farm business, so we always consider soil health testing and manure analysis a worthwhile investment.
To find out more about how Green Shoots Farm Consultancy can help your business with soil and manure analysis, get in touch today.