@article{Sotomayor-Ramirez:256594,
      recid = {256594},
      author = {Sotomayor-Ramirez, David and Ruiz, Teodoro and Quijano,  Yamil and Martinez, Gustavo and Saavedra, Carlos and  Recaman-Serna, Alexander},
      title = {Nutrients in Dairy Manure Sludge in Puerto Rico:  Management and Implications},
      address = {2008-07-13},
      number = {1875-2017-465},
      pages = {9},
      year = {2008},
      abstract = {Dairy manure sludge (DMS) application to grazed forage  pastures is a widespread agronomic practice. Unfortunately,  the quantitative benefits of DMS application to improved  pastures still has not been shown in the Caribbean.  On-going application of DMS based on estimated nitrogen (N)  content is unsustainable, and in many areas presents a  threat to water quality, because the excess phosphorus (P)  in dairy sludge is usually not extracted by plants and  remains in soil until removed in runoff. Application of DMS  based on Ρ content of the material may be a better  alternative, but pastures may need to be supplemented with  N. The nutrient concentration of DMS sludge in various  farms of Puerto Rico was assessed. The mean (standard  deviation in parenthesis) nutrient concentration of DMS  (n=17) was 233 (120), 122 (77), 232 (123) mg/L for total N,  total P, and total K, respectively. The economic benefit of  DMS application, in terms of substitution for the price of  nutrients in mineral fertilizer, could be from $79 to $158  per ha-cm (acre-in) of application, but the excess volume  of DMS application from the improper application could  offset potential agronomic and economic gains. Farmers  applying DMS to fields should take every precaution to  ensure that the infiltration rate of the soil is not  exceeded and that during the application the volumes are  kept to levels in which the nutrients applied do not exceed  crop nutrient requirements. Further precautions include  reducing the number of applications during the year and  spreading the material to other areas of the farms. A case  study demonstrated that there is an excess of nutrients  generated on-farm which originate primarily from grazing  animals, and is exacerbated by high animal densities,  improper distribution of Ν and Ρ from DMS and fertilizer.  Excess nutrients generated result in unsustainable nutrient  rates to fields which could result in a waste of resources  and environmental degradation.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/256594},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.256594},
}