22 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | December 2023 SWINE MANURE & CROP PRODUCTION Maximizing this key resource can be beneficial to crops. By Xiaopeng Gao Swine production on the Canadian Prairies is increasing, with Manitoba being the largest province and accounting for 30 per cent of all swine production nationally. The hog sector is Manitoba’s third most important commodity in terms of farm cash receipts, at $1.5 billion in 2022. As swine operations generate large amounts of animal waste, the management of manure storage and utilization has become a critical consideration. Swine manure is a valuable source of essential nutrients including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). In addition, manure application improves soil organic matter and adds micronutrients such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) to the soil, enhancing soil fertility and quality. However, the inappropriate management of swine manure can lead to serious environmental issues such as water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrogen in swine manure is primarily in an organic form, with a small proportion of inorganic N such as ammonium. Plants take up nutrients in inorganic forms, therefore the organic N in manure must go through a decomposition process called mineralization to convert it into plant available forms such as ammonium or nitrate. In Manitoba, it is generally estimated that approximately 25 per cent of the organic N in manure becomes available during the year of application. The N content of swine manure can be influenced by a variety of factors such as the dietary composition and age of swine, or the way the swine manure is handled and stored, and thus highly variable. For example, an analysis of 772 liquid swine manure samples from farrow-to-finish operations in Manitoba had shown that total N content ranged from seven to 67 lb N/1000 gal. Similar to N, P and K, contents of swine manure are also highly variable. Swine manure predominantly contains these nutrients in inorganic forms, making it an excellent source for plant nutrition. However, because the N:P ratio in swine manure (typically 3:1 to 5:1) is generally lower than what plants require (typically 8:1), repeated application of manure based on crop N Swine manure can give your field necessary nutrients. NosamA - stock.adobe.com SWINE RESEARCH The advertisers you see in this magazine are the top companies in our farming community. They appreciate your business! WE LOVE OUR ADVERTISERS
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