[USCC] Manure pH Ec etc.

[Will Brinton]

Subject:
Manure EC, boron etc.
From:
Will Brinton <wfbr17 at woodsend.org>
Date:
Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:39:07 -0400

To:
compost at composter.com


Dear Reddy:

Regarding your interesting question about your test results, I would 
start by questioning the lab analysis, and send it to another lab, such 
as one on the Manure Analysis Proficiency program.
For example, the soluble salts you show would be normal for traditional 
saturated paste tests on manure , but not for EC 1:5 methods (which 
dilute salt content by about 3.5). Regarding the pH of  9.6 I also 
question that, but 8.9- 9.2 is not unusual for fresh, immature manure 
composts.  If the ammonia is high it would explain a high pH, for 
example, it could be around pH 9.2 with several thousand ppm of ammonium 
of which 50% could be volatile. Again- normal for extremely immature 
compost.

I would also recommend our Solvita test which will pin down if the high 
pH results from volatile NH3 or not.  If yes, then you must adopt a more 
natural strategy to deal with it.

It is almost never cost effective to add ingredients to a manure compost 
unless you are market limited with it, and even so, it would be poor 
advise before the lab tests are carefully rechecked.  Gypsum treatment 
would be recommended for the ammonia content if you can guarantee the 
aerobic nature of the piles, otherwise it'll result in hydrogen sulfide. 
Aerobic stabilization will cause ammonia to convert to nitrate and lower 
the pH naturally.  .

Good Luck

William Brinton
Woods End Laboratories
www.woodsend.org


    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

   Dear fellow composters,
   We would like to reduce Soluble salts, pH and Boron concentrations in a
   dairy compost (windrow composting). The raw materials used are
   separator
   manure, corral manure, wood shavings and horse apples. Dairy lagoon
   water is
   used to start the process and then on fresh water to maintain the
   moisture
   content.
   Typical Analysis of finished compost:
   pH - 8.9 - 9.6
   Soluble salts (EC 5) - 13-21 ds/m
   OM -  42-62 %
   Moisture - 40-50%
   Total Boron 84-99 ppm
   Total N - 1.2% dryWt
   Questions:
   Any cost effective commercial methods of reducing Boron, pH and
   Salts in
   dairy compost ?
   Is this analysis typical for a dairy compost?
   Any experiences on diluting the compost with clean dirt (sandy
   loams/silt
   loams) ?

   Thank you

   Reddy Ganta
        M.S. Agriculture., M.S. Bioinformatics
   Agricultural Informatics Scientist
   GLORIETA GEOSCIENCE, INC.
   1723 2nd street
   Santa Fe, NM-87502
   voice: (505) 983 5446 Ext. 107
   Fax: (505) 983 6482
   URL: www.glorietageo.com

-- 
William F Brinton Ph.D.
Woods End Laboratories, Inc.
290 Belgrade Road Mt Vernon ME 04352
www.solvita.com
207 293 2457 ext 17
207 322 7361 cell

-- 
William F Brinton
Woods End Laboratories, Inc.
www.solvita.com
207 293 2457 ext 15
207 322 7361 cell