Baby

Yesterday during morning checks we discovered a new bundle of joy but times two.  Another set of twins joined the herd.  We made an executive decision to remove the smallest calf from the heifer mother.  The heifer was attempting to lick both off, but it was going to be very hard for the mother to care for both of them, if she accepted both.  She would most certainly struggle to make enough milk for two.  The little lady has yet to be named, but is going by Baby at the moment.  She weighed 37 lbs yesterday and has gained a few today.  She has a persistent nature.  Last night she barged into the pantry just so she could have some company and not be all alone on the back porch. 

Today we spent our morning discussing the value of manure.  It is a question that many agronomists, farmers, scientists, and economists ask, BUT no one really knows.  I researched much of my day away.  Firstly, we are asking this question because farmers (crop farmers) are suddenly realizing (not all) that they need to improve their soil structure and fertility and one of the more efficient ways to do so is to add animals to the picture/rotation.  As ranchers we can provide that service.  Currently, the system here in the SLV is we pay a farmer to graze their land, not the other way around.  We are providing them free manure spreading services and manure incorporation.   The cattle do the work for the farmer.  Sadly, there are very few sources on how to best price solid manure.  Most manure that is added to fields comes from feedlots or slurry ponds.  This manure must be transported and then spread onto a field.  This adds cost to the manure because transportation and labor is included.  But we are not having to store and transport our "waste" around.
One source I came by this morning, claimed that the cost of manure in the absence of a market is unknown.  Manure in someways has some components that have economic value while other pieces have more intrinsic value.  There are known values for conventional/industrial nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers.  Several authors suggest that manure components should be compared with the industrial fertilizer market.  I have one issue with this because this does not take into account the other benefits or what I've called the intrinsic components of manure.  Soil fertility is not dependent on just the three big MACROnutrients (N,P,K), there is much more to it.  Soil health and fertility comes with high organic matter, friability (structure), presence of soil biota, and pH buffering capacity.    Manure can provide the macronutrients and micronutrients that feed the soil biota and plants, but the organic matter improves soil structure and buffering capacity (plus more).  Nutrients within the manure become available in different forms over the year and years.  Microbes are able to use certain forms of nutrients and convert these molecules into more useful forms for plants too.



So what is the value of manure? Something we will continue to work on...