Rick Koelsch - Livestock Environmental Engineer

Rick Koelsch

emeriti
Work Chase Hall (CHA) 200
Lincoln NE 68583-0726
US
Work 402-472-1413 On campus, dial 2-1413

Faculty Bio

Odor plumes from land application of manure
Odor plumes from land application of manure

Timing Manure Application to Avoid Neighbor Nuisances

August 14, 2018
Roughly half of all neighbor complaints of livestock odors originate from land application of manure. This article outlines the weather conditions to consider when planning a manure application.

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Irrigation in corn near a cattle feedlot with cattle
Irrigating diluted animal manures on growing crops can work if you ask the right questions. (Photo by Larry Howard)

Can I Irrigate Animal Manures On Growing Crops?

June 27, 2018
Recent heavy rains have many feedlot holding ponds full and operators looking for irrigation options to apply animal manure during the growing season. Here are some considerations for applying diluted animal manures without damaging the crop.

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Manure spreader

Manure’s Impact on Yield, Nitrogen, and Carbon

May 3, 2018
If manure is applied at rates equal to or less than the nitrogen (N) requirement of a crop, can manure produce environmental benefits over commercial fertilizer? This article summarizes the "Take Home Messages" from a paper summarizing 141 studies relative to the question.

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Pie chart showing the value of manure

What is the Economic Value of Manure

December 6, 2017
Manure has value. That value may result from improvements in soil quality, increases in yield, and replacement of commercial nutrient required for crop production. This article focuses on the economic benefits of manure.

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Ephermeral gully in a corn field.
Field 1. Research indicates that when used in combination with other measures, manure can play a valuable role in increasing soil aggregate size and reducing soil erosion such as from the ephermeral gully in this corn field.

Using Manure as an Aid in Reducing Erosion and Runoff

August 3, 2017
By improving soil properties manure applications can help increase water infiltration and reduce soil erosion when used in combination with other soil conservation practices. Care needs to be taken, however, in how often and how much manure is applied to avoid P loss in runoff and erosion.

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Manure being injected in wheat residue
Figure 1. Manure injected in wheat residue can be a valuable source of phosphorus.

Is Manure a Fertility Option for Wheat?

July 18, 2017
Interested in applying manure to wheat to meet phosphorus and nitrogen needs? This article outlines factors to consider and recommendations for manure and soil sampling, application method, and timing of application to get the highest return from your manure.

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Illustrating improved soil aggregates from manure applications.

How Manure Impacts Soil Aggregation

July 6, 2017
Researchers compare differences between soils fertilized with three types of manure versus commercial products and note four benefits, including an increase in water-stable large macro-aggregates that hold P differently.

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Value of manure

Finding Win-Wins for Manure: Maximizing Soil Quality Benefits

March 6, 2017
Manure offers crop production wins by providing valuable nutrients and helping build soil organic matter and an active soil microbial community. Soils with organic matter levels on the low end of their typical range can benefit the most from manure applications that do not exceed the crop’s nitrogen requirements. Organic matter also improves soil aggregates which in turn helps increase infiltration of precipitation and irrigation water, improves water-holding capacity of the soil, and reduces runoff and erosion. Soils with these characteristics experience greater drought tolerance.

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