Reassessment of the phosphorus content of poultry and pig manures will bring changes to the application of these products to the soils of Northern Ireland.
As part of the Nutrient Action Programme (NAP) introduced last year, some types of manure have been reclassified as “high phosphorus.” This refers to a high content of phosphorus in relation to nitrogen.
Containing more than 250 grams of total phosphorus per kilogram of total nitrogen, manure from the following livestock is now defined as high in phosphorus: broiler breeders, commercial layers, free-range layers, pullets, ducks, and pigs.
Before manure from these animals can be applied to the fields and crops from the start of 2020, farmers now need to make some additional preparations, according to Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Firstly, a soil analysis test will be needed to prove that the crop has a requirement for phosphorus.
Also now required is a fertilization plan, which shows each application of high-phosphorus manure. This plan must be kept up to date.
These new requirements apply to poultry and pig farmers who are applying the manure to their own land, as well as to those importing the materials for their crops.
According to DAERA, manure from housed and free-range broilers as well as turkeys is not regarded as high in phosphorus. There are no changes to the regulations covering the application of manure from these species to the soil.
Potential dangers of over-application of phosphorus
Underlying the new regulation is the risk of applying excessive phosphorus to crops when calculating manure application rates based on their nitrogen content.
Records of soil tests and fertilizer applications will be checked by Northern Ireland’s Environment Agency (NIEA), and compared with the phosphate application limits for each crop. If too much high-phosphorus manure has been applied for the crop, or records are incomplete, the breach of the regulations will impact farm payments under the Area-Based Scheme.
Phosphorus: finite supply, improving efficient use in agriculture
Phosphorus is a mineral that is necessary component for life, according to the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute of Northern Ireland (AFBINI).
While there are finite resources of phosphorus, it is recyclable. However, it is not always used or reused efficiently in agriculture production, or in food and waste systems.
Pigs and poultry are particularly inefficient in the digestion of plant-derived phosphorus as they lack the ability naturally to the mineral from these sources. Losses of phosphorus in their excreta can have detrimental effects on both soil and water systems.
AFBINI is a partner in an international project to improve phosphorus efficiency in the chickens and pigs. A three-year project funded by the European Union, the PEGaSUS project aims to bridge the gaps in the phosphorus value chain. Other participants are Stockholm Environmental Institute in Sweden, Germany’s Leibniz Institute of Farm Animal Biology, and University Piacenza, Italy.
A recent webinar outlines how poultry producers can respond to growing demands for sustainability.