Managing manure nutrients is a high priority for livestock farmers for economic as well as environmental reasons. Iowa dairy and beef producers are invited to attend upcoming Iowa State University Extension field days featuring a variety of manure management systems. The field days will be held in northwest and northeast Iowa during October. There is also a field day that will be held in southeast Iowa.

SYSTEMS THAT WORK: Iowa dairy and beef producers who attend upcoming manure management field days will see various systems at work. Managing manure nutrients is a high priority for livestock farmers to protect the environment and save money on fertilizer.

"Manure is beginning to be recognized more and more as a valuable asset rather than a waste product in the livestock operation," says Beth Doran, Iowa State University Extension beef program specialist. "How the manure is handled and stored can affect the financial return to the farming enterprise. The various ways dairy and beef producers handle manure will be the focus of these upcoming field days."

Field day discussions and presentations by the farmers and ISU specialists will focus on nutrient management including various options and methods to manage a farm's total nutrient balance, manure management and nutrient runoff. 

Northwest Iowa manure management field days
October 1: A 10 a.m. start, at Multi-Rose Jerseys, near Rock Rapids. The Multi-Rose farm has a unique process to recycle solids from the freestall barn as bedding for the cows. At 11:30 a.m., the field day moves to the Jim Koedam farm, near Doon. Koedam uses a low-cost pumping system to apply feedlot liquids to nearby cornfields. The field day concludes with lunch and a tour of the Terry Van Maanen Dairy operation north of Rock Valley. There the tour participants will view a sand settling lane, three manure structures and will learn how runoff from silage piles is prevented.

October 2: A 1 p.m. start, at the Chad and Dale Fertig Dairy, south of Wall Lake. This dairy operation has a drive-in sand settling pit and a newer heifer barn with manure storage.

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To register for northwest Iowa field days, you need to contact Kris Kohl, ISU Extension and Outreach ag engineer, at 712-335-3013 or Beth Doran, ISU Extension beef program specialist at 712-737-4230. Register by September 29. A registration fee of $5 per person will be collected at the October 1 field day to help cover the cost of lunch.  Directions to the farms and a complete listing of field days are included in the program flier available at www.extension.iastate.edu/dairyteam.

Both of the northwest Iowa field days are sponsored by ISU Extension, the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance and the North Central Risk Management Education Center. Special thanks, is extended to WIDA for sponsoring milk and ice cream at the field days.

Northeast Iowa manure management field days
October 8: Beginning at 10:15 a.m. and lasting to noon, this field day starts at Kregel Farms, near Guttenberg. The Kregel's milk 380 cows with robots and use a three-stage GEA roller press for dried solids bedding. For the second part of this field day, attendees will move to the farm of Jeff West at Farmersburg. This session will begin at 1 p.m. and last until 2:30 p.m. West is milking 150 cows with robots; he uses a screw press separator for dried solids bedding.

October 9: Beginning at 10:15 a.m. and running until noon, the October 9 field day begins at the Mike Deutmeyer farm, near Guttenberg. This operation has a two-stage sand system. The field day continues at 1 p.m. and lasts until 2:30 p.m. at the farm of Dan and Glenn Moormann, New Vienna. The Moormans are expanding their herd with sand land before manure storage.

October 16: Starting at 10:15 a.m. and going until noon, the first session of this field day begins at Schatz Dairy Farm, near Cresco. This farm milks 225 cows, using a two-stage sand manure system. For the second part of this field day, the crowd will move to Knutson Farms near Ossian which will host the 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. session. The Knutsons milk 280 cows, using a one-stage sand manure system; chimney style with no pumps.

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Southeast Iowa manure management filed day
October 14: Beginning at 10:15 a.m.  and lasting until noon, this field day is at the farm of Doug Roth, near Mt. Pleasant in southeast Iowa. This operation uses a two-stage sand system with traveling irrigation gun. The afternoon session begins at 1 p.m. and lasts until 2:30 p.m. at the Calvin Yoder farm, near Kalona. At this stop participants will see a single-stage push-off system.

Directions to the farms and a complete listing of field days are included in the program flier available online. For more information about northeast Iowa field days, contact the Winneshiek County Extension office, Jennifer Bentley at 563-382-2949 or [email protected], or Dubuque County Extension office, Larry Tranel at 563-583-6496 or [email protected]. The northeast Iowa field day workshops are sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the North Central Risk Management Education Center.