Do you know the real value of pig slurry
Mark Hawe and Liz Donnelly Greenmount Campus
The Nitrates and Phosphorus Regulations have been in place in Northern Ireland farms since 1 January 2007. To meet the requirements of these Regulations, farmers must be much more aware of the type, amount and value of both organic (slurry) and inorganic (chemical) fertilisers that are spread on land. Pig slurry is a good source of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium and producers are reassessing it as a valuable supply of nutrients for grass and crops.
Fertiliser Value
What is the fertilizer value of pig slurry? In terms of nutrient supply, a rule of thumb is that a 2000 gallon tanker of undiluted pig slurry has an available nutrient content equivalent to three 50 KG bags of a 15:18:16 compound type fertiliser. In money terms a 2000 gallon tanker load is worth approximately £25. Pig slurry is therefore an economical and effective fertiliser. Farmers operating below the 170 KG livestock manure nitrogen per hectare limit have an ideal opportunity to import pig slurry and reduce their reliance on purchased fertiliser and reduce costs.
Importing Pig Slurry
Beef, sheep and predominantly cereal farms tend to be under the 170 KG N/ha/yr limit and should consider importing pig slurry. Apart from the major advantage of reducing fertiliser costs, if the need for chemical phosphorus fertiliser is eliminated, soil sampling is not required. The records required for importing pig slurry are not particularly onerous. The only records required are the date of import, the amount imported and the name of the person exporting the slurry.
Example of how much can be imported
Example
| Total livestock manure nitrogen produced on farm | = 5131 KG |
| Total land controlled | = 46 ha |
| Total farm livestock manure nitrogen permitted to meet 170kg N/ha/yr limit = 46 * 170 | = 7820 KG |
| Amount of Livestock manure nitrogen that can be imported is 7820 kg -5131 kg | = 2689 KG |
| If undiluted pig slurry contains 6kg of N per m3 then 2689kg /6kg can be imported | =448m3 or 99,500 gallons |
| If typical pig slurry contains 4kg of N per m3 then 2689kg/4kg can be imported | =672m3 or 149,000 gallons |
For this example the value of this imported undiluted slurry would equate to £1250. Pig slurry is a viable, valuable fertiliser. Contact Mark Hawe (07775 790411) or Liz Donnelly (07775 760159) for further details.
