Manure Spreader Calibration is Not Just for Research Plots

August 24, 2023

Manure Spreader Calibration is Not Just for Research Plots

By Leslie Johnson - Animal Manure Management Extension Educator

Tractor applying manure
By calibrating your spreader, you know precisely how much manure has been applied and can adjust your application rate as needed for optimum efficiency.

Back in May, I spent a good chunk of a day calibrating a manure spreader in preparation for applying manure to a research plot. Just prior to manure application season though, it’s good to remember that calibration is not only for research plots. All manure spreaders used for land application should be calibrated so you know how much has been applied.

Just like a spreader used for commercial fertilizer, a manure spreader must also be calibrated. If you don’t know the rate you’re applying, how can you possibly calculate the nutrients you’ve applied? And if you’re not factoring in the nutrients in the manure, you’re wasting money. And who wants to do that?

To learn more about the ways you can calibrate a manure spreader, continue reading this article on UNL Water.

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