Economic Profitability of Sustained Application of Swine Lagoon Effluent and Beef Feedlot Manure Relative to Anhydrous Ammonia in the Oklahoma Panhandle

摘要

With the rapid growth of swine (Sus scrofa domestica) production in the Oklahoma Panhandle, animal waste management has become a growing concern. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of equivalent nitrogen rates of swine lagoon effluent (SE), beef manure (BM), and commercial fertilizer on the yield and economic returns of irrigated corn (Zea mays L.) grown on calcareous Gruver silt loam soil (fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Paleustoll) near Goodwell, Oklahoma. A randomized, complete-block, split-plot design with three replications was used to test the main effects of N source (NS) and equivalent N application rates (NR) of 56, 168, and 504 kg N ha1. Both BM and SE generated significantly (P < 0.05) higher corn yields than anhydrous ammonia (AA) across the main effect of NS. Greater separation of mean corn yields was found among NS as the equivalent NR rate was increased from 56 to 504 kg N ha1 with the following rankings (P < 0.05): AA = BM = SE at 56 kg N ha1, BM = AA SE at 168 kg N ha1, and SE > BM > AA at 504 kg N ha1. Both SE and BM generated significantly (P < 0.05) higher economic returns than AA. The highest ranked alternatives of economic returns were generated by SEx504 and BMx168. Results indicate that SE and BM can be economically viable substitutes for commercial fertilizer, bringing higher yields and economic benefits to producers in the Oklahoma Panhandle.