| Criterion: |
Manure
Spreading: |
ACS
Composting: |
| Odor
|
Odors
long present and offensive to neighbors. |
Odorless
after 3 days. |
| Pests |
A
home for pests, weed seeds, & pathogens. |
Few
flies; weed seeds & pathogens destroyed. |
| Leaching
|
Nitrates
& ammonia often leach into
groundwater. |
Humus
acts as nutrient reservoir until beckoned by the plants. |
| Water
|
Water
holding capacity & infiltration rates measure below ACS compost. |
Compost
humus holds 4 times its weight in water. Soil compaction reduced
so filtration rates are improved. |
| Nitrogen |
Organic
N at 42.1% in Bloomsburg University study (manure w/ sawdust bedding). |
Organic
N at 97% in finished compost in Bloomsburg study. |
| Nutrients |
Nutrients
may be concentrated rather than balanced, which can be just as detrimental
as a nutrient deficiency. |
Compost
nutrients are balanced, not concentrated. |
| Organic
Matter |
Organic matter increased, but not as high as with ACS compost. |
Organic
matter levels higher with ACS compost than manure. |
| Stability |
Nutrients held in unstable form. |
Nutrients
held in stable form until needed by plant; little leaching. |
| Spreading |
Purdue
University spread manure daily. |
Purdue
spread compost 5-6 days per year after switching. |
| Grazing |
Cattle
will not graze where manure has been recently applied. |
Cattle will graze where compost has just been applied. Alfalfa with
ACS compost has seen protein levels increase so that one dairy herd
went from 35 lbs. to 16 lbs. of feed per day. |
| Yield
|
Early corn growth in manure less than compost. Plant height &
dry weight below that of compost. |
Early corn growth consistently greater in compost. Plant height
and dry weight significantly greater with compost. |
| Salt
Levels |
Salt in manure is passed on to the soil when spread, exacerbating
any problem with salt build-up. |
With humification, salt levels decline or are rendered benign. ACS
compost has seen sodium at 799 ppm read 53 ppm 6 months after application.
Salt ions in manure are altered by ACS. |
| Profitability |
Extremely low price when sold may only cover costs of handling. |
Sale of finished ACS compost should double, triple, or quadruple
production costs. Significant fertilizer savings if applied to own
fields. Soils healthier year-after-year. |
