Production and management of cattle manure in the UK and implications for land application practice

Abstract

AbstractA review of livestock and manure management across the UK was undertaken as part of a wider study of important factors impacting on greenhouse and other gaseous emissions from agriculture. All major livestock sectors were covered by the review, but only data on cattle manure are reported in this study. Cattle manure comprises 67 Mt (80%) of the total 83 Mt of UK annual livestock manure production during the housing period. Overall, about 47% of total UK cattle manure production was estimated to be as undiluted slurry and 53% as solid, mainly straw‐based farmyard manure (FYM). Survey data suggested important regional differences in cattle manure management across the UK; examples include the predominance of slurry in SW Scotland, N Ireland and to a lesser extent, in Wales, compared to the continued importance of straw‐based FYM systems in England. Survey data on land application of manures from the British Survey of Fertiliser Practice (BSFP) generally showed the expected distribution of cattle manure application timings, dominated by crop sowing/establishment or growth patterns. However, in recent years, an apparent increase in land spreading in February–April, with less application in November–January is encouraging, the trend towards spring/early summer spreading of cattle slurry suggesting greater appreciation of its value as a nutrient source. BSFP returns on manure application techniques have also shown increasing uptake of shallow injection of cattle slurry, from <1% (2004) to 10% (2013) and for increasing rapid (<6 h) incorporation of FYM, from 3% (2007) to 14% (2013).