Determining Mechanical Manure Application Rates on GOAT Pastures

Determining Mechanical Manure Application Rates on GOAT Pastures
For pastures where there will be grazing AND mechanical manure application, use the following
procedure:
1. Determine if the rate is based on Nitrogen (Soil Test P <200 ppm) or Phosphorus (Soil Test >200 ppm
or no soil test).
2. Find the “Grass Hay” crop under the appropriate Nitrogen Based or Crop Phosphorus Removal
Based table for Goat manure.
3. Find the lowest yield group for Grass Hay across the top of the table.
4. Find the application management that corresponds to when the manure will be mechanically
applied in the left column of the table under “Manure Application Method”. Choose “Spring No
Incorporation” for spring and summer applications, “Fall” for fall applications, or “Winter With Cover
Crop” for winter applications.
5. Where these intersect is the maximum total manure that can be applied in ton/A. (See the example
below)
6. Determine the manure deposited by grazing goats as follows: (Use the calculation worksheet
attached and see the example below)
a. Determine the number of days that the goats (kids or does and bucks) typically are on pasture
for “Less than 8 hours, 8-16 hours, or more than 16 hours per day”.
• This does not have to be exact but try to be within ±10 days.
• This does not have to add up to 365 days if there are days when the goats are not on
pasture.
• If pastures have different stocking management, do this calculation for each of those
pastures.
b. Multiply the days in each category times the “Tons” factor for that category.
c. Multiply that answer by the number of goats on the pasture in that group.
d. Sum up the totals for the categories.
e. Determine the number of acres in the pasture.
f. Divide the total manure applied by grazing animals by the acres to determine the amount of
manure applied per acre by the grazing animals.
g. Subtract this from the total maximum allowable manure application in 5 above to determine the
ton/A of manure that can be applied in addition to what is applied by the grazing animals.