Nutrient Applicator Training

1
Nutrient Applicator Training

• Example Problems

2

• The following example problems are taken directly
  from the Nutrient Applicator Training Guide.

3
Example 2-1 Estimating Plant-Available Nitrogen
(PAN) in Broiler Litter

• Frank Carpenter uses broiler litter to fertilize
  his corn crop. He incorporates the litter the
  same day as application. The nutrient analysis of
  the litter in pounds per ton is
• (total nitrogen) - 62
• ammonium nitrogen - 22
• phosphate 60
• potash 46
• How many pounds of PAN are contained in a ton of
  this litter?
• See page 14 in the Training Guide.

4
Estimating PAN in Broiler Litter
62

• 1. Total nitrogen (N) (lbs/T)
• - Obtained from manure analysis.
• Ammonium nitrogen (NH4) (lbs/T)
• - Obtained from manure analysis.
• Organic nitrogen
• - Subtract 2 from 1.
• Ammonium conservation factor
• - Expressed as a decimal from 0 to 1.
• - Depends upon incorporation practices.
• - Refer to Table 2-2 in Training Guide.
• Available ammonium nitrogen
• - Multiply 2 by 4.
• Manure mineralization factor
• - Expressed as a decimal.

22
40
0.80
17.6
0.50
20
37.6
5
Example 2-2 Estimating Plant-Available Nitrogen
(PAN) in Cattle Manure

• John Wood uses beef manure to fertilize his corn
  crop. He does not incorporate the manure because
  he uses no-till. The nutrient analysis of the
  manure in pounds per ton is
• (total nitrogen) 20.5
• ammonium nitrogen 1.5
• phosphate 18
• potash 21
• How many pounds of PAN are contained in a ton of
  this manure?
• See page 15 in the Training Guide.

6
Estimating PAN in Cattle Manure
20.5

• 1. Total nitrogen (N) (lbs/T)
• - Obtained from manure analysis.
• Ammonium nitrogen (NH4) (lbs/T)
• - Obtained from manure analysis.
• Organic nitrogen
• - Subtract 2 from 1.
• Ammonium conservation factor
• - Expressed as a decimal from 0 to 1.
• - Depends upon incorporation practices.
• - Refer to Table 2-2 in Training Guide.
• Available ammonium nitrogen
• - Multiply 2 by 4.
• Manure mineralization factor
• - Expressed as a decimal.

1.5
19
0
0
0.35
6.65
6.65
7
Example 4-1 Calculating the Quantity of
Commercial Fertilizer Required to Meet a Nutrient
Recommendation

• A recommendation in his nutrient management plan
  indicates that Jasper Little needs 60 pounds per
  acre of potash (K20) to produce his soybean crop.
  No phosphorus or nitrogen are recommended. Little
  wishes to broadcast muriate of potash (0-0-60),
  pre-plant, to meet the requirement.
• How much muriate of potash per acre should he
  apply?
• See page 18 in the Training Guide.

8
Calculating the Quantity of Commercial Fertilizer
Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Crop
• Recommended quantity of nutrient
• (lbs/acre)
• - See Fertilizer Recommendations page
• of nutrient management plan.
• of nutrient in preferred product
• - Refer to label on product.
• Nutrient content in
• preferred product
• - Expressed as a decimal fraction.
• - Multiply 2 by 0.01.
• Quantity of preferred
• product required (lbs/acre)
• - Divide 1 by 3.

Soybeans
60
60
0.60
100
9
Example 4-2 Calculating the Quantity of a Dairy
Manure Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Ralph Gonzales wants to use semi-solid dairy
  manure to supply the nitrogen for his corn crop.
  His yield goal is 120 bushels per acre. He is
  going to incorporate the manure the same day as
  application. The PAN content of the manure is 6
  pounds of PAN per ton. Note The N recommendation
  for corn grain is 1 pound of PAN per acre per
  bushel of yield.
• What is the appropriate application rate for this
  manure for this crop and yield goal?
• See page 19 in the Training Guide.

10
Calculating the Quantity of a Dairy Manure
Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Crop
• Nitrogen recommendation
• (lbs/acre)
• Plant-Available Nitrogen (PAN)
• of manure (lbs/T)
• Quantity of manure required
• (T/acre)
• - Divide 1 by 2.

Corn
120
6
20
11
Example 4-3 Calculating the Quantity of Poultry
Litter Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Jim Kent wants to use poultry litter to supply
  the nitrogen for his corn crop. His yield goal is
  150 bushels per acre. He is going to incorporate
  the manure the same day as application. The PAN
  content of the manure is 35 pounds of PAN per
  ton. Note The N recommendation for corn grain is
  1 pound of PAN per acre per bushel of yield.
• What is the appropriate application rate for this
  manure for this crop and yield goal?
• See page 20 in the Training Guide.

12
Calculating the Quantity of Poultry Litter
Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Crop
• Nitrogen recommendation
• (lbs/acre)
• 2. Plant-Available Nitrogen (PAN)
• of manure (lbs/T)
• Quantity of manure required
• (T/acre)
• - Divide 1 by 2.

Corn
150
35
4.28
4.3
13
Example 5-1 Calibrating a Manure Spreader for
Liquid Manure Using the Load-Area Method

• Rick Jones nutrient management plan indicates
  that he should apply 5,000 gallons of liquid
  manure per acre to Field 20. His tank holds
  3,000 gallons. He spreads the manure at the
  settings and travel speed he typically uses. The
  area of application, or calibration area, is 22
  feet wide and 1,150 feet long.
• What is the current application rate of his
  equipment? Does he need to make adjustments to
  reduce or increase the application rate?
• See page 24 in the Training Guide.

14
Calibrating a Manure Spreader for Liquid Manure
Using the Load-Area Method

• Recommended application rate
• (gal/acre)
• 2. Length of calibration area (ft)
• 3. Width of calibration area (ft)
• 4. Calibration area (sq ft)
• - Multiply 2 by 3.
• 5. Amount of manure applied in
• calibration area (gal)
• 6. Number of calibration areas
• per acre
• - Divide 43,560 by 4.
• 7. Actual application rate (gal/acre)
• - Multiply 6 by 5.

5,000
1,150
22
25,300
3,000
1.72
5,160
15
Example 5-2 Calibrating a Manure Spreader for
Liquid Manure Using the Volume-Area Method

• Greg Walkers nutrient management plan recommends
  that he apply 8,000 gallons of manure per acre to
  Field 10. He arranges 10 shallow collection pans
  (9 in x 13 in) in a path parallel to the
  spreader. He drives the spreader over the pans
  and then collects and measures the manure in each
  pan. The quantities collected were 27, 29, 30,
  28, 29, 28, 29, 30, 28, and 27 ounces.
• What is the current application rate? Are
  adjustments advisable to either increase or
  decrease the application rate?
• See page 25 in the Training Guide.

16
Calibrating a Manure Spreader for Liquid Manure
Using the Volume-Area Method

• Recommended application rate
• (gal/acre)
• 2. Amount of manure collected (oz)
• - Add together amounts from all the
• collection pans.
• 3. Number of collection pans
• 4. Average amount of manure in
• a collection pan (oz)
• - Divide 2 by 3.
• 5. Average area of a collection
• pan (sq ft)
• - Multiply length and width of
• collection pan.
• - Divide by 144.
• 6. Number of calibration areas
• per acre
• - Divide 43,560 by 5.
• 7. Application rate (oz/acre)

8,000
285
10
28.5
0.81
9 in x 13 in 117 sq in
117 sq in ? 144 sq in 0.81
53,778
1,532,673
11,974
17
Example 5-3 Calibrating a Manure Spreader for a
Solid Manure Using the Weight-Area Method

• Ray Simpsons nutrient management plan recommends
  that he should apply 12 tons of manure to Field
  4. He weighs a bucket and 5 squares of plastic
  sheets (each 6 ft x 6 ft). He drives the spreader
  over the center of each sheet and then collects
  and measures the manure on each sheet. He then
  subtracts the average bucket and sheet weight.
  The quantities collected on each sheet were 19.3,
  21.6, 19.5, 21.3, and 22 pounds.
• What is the current application rate? Are
  adjustments advisable to either increase or
  decrease the application rate?
• See page 26 in the Training Guide.

18
Calibrating a Manure Spreader for a Solid Manure
Using the Weight-Area Method

• Recommended application rate
• (T/acre)
• 2. Amount of manure collected (lbs)
• - Add together amounts from all
• calibration areas.
• 3. Number of sheets used
• 4. Average amount of manure
• applied per calibration area (lbs)
• - Divide 2 by 3.
• 5. Average calibration area (sq ft)
• - Multiply length and width of
• collection sheets.
• 6. Number of calibration areas
• per acre
• - Divide 43,560 by 5.
• 7. Application rate (lbs/acre)
• - Multiply 4 by 6.
• 8. Application rate (T/acre)

12
103.7
5
20.7
36
6 ft x 6 ft 36 sq ft
1,210
25,047
12.5
19
Example 5-4 Calibrating a Fertilizer Attachment
for a Row-Crop Planter

• Charles Painter wants to apply 10 gallons per
  acre of 10-34-0 as a starter when he plants his
  corn. His corn is planted in 30-inch rows using a
  6-row planter. He attaches a plastic collection
  container to each of the six fertilizer
  distribution orifices on the starter fertilizer
  attachment and drives the planter a distance of
  100 feet (calibration distance). The volumes
  collected were 10.75, 10.75, 10.5, 10.5, 10.75,
  and 10.5 ounces.
• What is the current application rate? Are
  adjustments advisable to either increase or
  decrease the application rate?
• See page 28 in the Training Guide.

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Calibrating a Fertilizer Attachment for a
Row-Crop Planter

• Desired application rate (gal/acre)
• Volume of fertilizer collected (oz)
• - Add together amounts from all
• containers.
• 3. Calibration swath width (ft)
• - Multiply number of containers
• by row spacing (in inches).
• - Divide by 12 inches.
• 4. Calibration area (sq ft)
• - Multiply 3 by the calibration swath
• distance (100 feet).
• 5. Number of calibration areas
• per acre
• - Divide 43,560 by 4.

10
63.8
15
6 x 30 in 180 in
180 in ? 12 in 15
29
1,500
1,850
14.5
21

• The following example problems are taken from the
  Farmer Training and Certification Program
  therefore, they are not in the Nutrient
  Applicator Training Guide.

22
Calculating the Quantity of Commercial Fertilizer
Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• A recommendation in his nutrient management plan
  indicates that Don Jackson should apply 50 pounds
  per acre of nitrogen (N) for the spring
  application on orchardgrass. No phosphorus or
  potassium are recommended. Jackson wishes to
  broadcast ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) to meet the
  requirement.
• How much ammonium sulfate per acre should he
  apply?

23
Calculating the Quantity of Commercial Fertilizer
Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Crop
• Recommended quantity of nutrients
• (lbs/acre)
• - See Fertilizer Recommendations page
• of nutrient management plan.
• of nutrient in preferred product
• - Refer to label on product.
• Nutrient content in
• preferred product
• - Expressed as a decimal fraction.
• - Multiply 2 by 0.01.
• Quantity of preferred
• product required (lbs/acre)
• - Divide 1 by 3.

Orchardgrass
50
21
0.21
238
240
24
Calculating the Quantity of Commercial Fertilizer
Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Tom Wagners nutrient management plan indicates
  he needs to apply 40 pounds per acre of nitrogen,
  phosphate, and potash, pre-plant, on his summer
  squash.
• How much 19-19-19 per acre should he apply?

25
Calculating the Quantity of Commercial Fertilizer
Required to Meet a Nutrient Recommendation

• Crop
• Recommended quantity of nutrients
• (lbs/acre)
• - See Fertilizer Recommendations page
• of nutrient management plan.
• of nutrient in preferred product
• - Refer to label on product.
• Nutrient content in
• preferred product
• - Expressed as a decimal fraction.
• - Multiply 2 by 0.01.
• Quantity of preferred
• product required (lbs/acre)
• - Divide 1 by 3.

Summer Squash
40
19
0.19
210
26
Calibrating a Manure Spreader Using the Load-Area
Method

• Rick Jones nutrient management plan indicates
  that he should apply 5,000 gallons of liquid
  manure per acre to Field 20. His tank holds
  3,000 gallons. He spreads the manure at the
  settings and travel speed he typically uses. The
  area of application, or calibration area, is 22
  feet wide and 1,150 feet long.
• What is the current application rate of his
  equipment? Does he need to make adjustments to
  reduce or increase the application rate?

27
Calibrating a Manure Spreader for Liquid Manure
Using the Load-Area Method
5,000

• Recommended application rate
• (gal/acre)
• 2. Length of calibration area (ft)
• 3. Width of calibration area (ft)
• 4. Calibration area (sq ft)
• - Multiply 2 by 3.
• 5. Amount of material applied in
• calibration area (gal)
• 6. Number of calibration areas
• per acre
• - Divide 43,560 by 4.
• 7. Actual application rate
• (gal/acre)

1,150
22
25,300
3,000
1.72
5,160
28
Calibrating a Manure Spreader Using the Load-Area
Method

• Fancy Filly spreads manure at least weekly when
  the manure spreader is full. She has determined
  that the spreader typically holds 1 ton of
  manure. She spreads the manure at the settings
  and travel speed she typically uses. The area of
  application, or calibration area, is 22 feet wide
  and 405 feet long. Her nutrient management plan
  recommends she spread 10 tons/acre.
• What is the current application rate of her
  equipment? Does she need to make adjustments to
  reduce or increase the application rate?

29
Calibrating a Manure Spreader Using the Load-Area
Method

• Recommended application rate
• (T/acre)
• Length of calibration area (ft)
• Width of calibration area (ft)
• 4. Calibration area (sq ft)
• - Multiply 2 by 3.
• 5. Calibration area per acre
• - Divide 4 by 43,560.
• 6. Amount of material applied in
• calibration area (T)
• 7. Actual application rate (T/acre)
• - Divide 6 by 5.

10
405
22
8,910
0.205
1
4.87
4.9
30
Calibrating a Manure Spreader Using the Load-Area
Method

• Jim Schmidt loaded his spinner spreader with
  poultry litter and weighed it on a scale. After
  subtracting the weight of the empty spreader, the
  manure weighed 12,600 pounds. Jim spread the load
  of manure on a field 1,800 feet long. He made 2
  complete passes and a third pass 150 feet long.
  The swath width was 26 feet wide.
• What is the current application rate? If the
  nutrient management plan recommends 3 tons per
  acre, are adjustments needed to reduce or
  increase the application rate?

31
Calibrating a Manure Spreader Using the Load-Area
Method

• Recommended application rate
• (T/acre)
• 2. Application area (sq ft)
• - Add 3 lengths together.
• - Multiply total length
• by swath width.
• 3. Calibration area per acre
• - Divide 2 by 43,560.
• Amount of material applied in
• calibration area (T)
• - Divide weight of manure
• by 2000 pounds.
• 5. Actual application rate (T/acre)
• - Divide 4 by 3.

3
97,500
1800 1800 150 3750 ft
3750 ft x 26 ft 97500 sq ft
2.24
6.3
12600 lbs ? 2000 lbs 6.3 T
2.8
32
Calibrating Fertilizer Application Equipment
(Weight-Area Method)

• Don Jackson checks the application rate of his
  spinner spreader. His goal is to apply 240 pounds
  of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) per acre. The
  spreader has a 40 feet spread swath. Don places a
  bucket under the discharge port and drives a
  carefully measured distance of 100 feet. The
  fertilizer in the bucket weighs 22.8 pounds.
• What is the current application rate? Does the
  rate need adjustment?

33
Calibrating Fertilizer Application Equipment
(Weight-Area Method)
Ammonium sulfate

• Name of preferred product
• Fertilizer guarantee of
• preferred product
• Recommended application rate
• of preferred product (lbs/acre)
• 4. Calibration area (sq ft)
• - Multiply spreader swath
• width by length the
• spreader is driven.
• Number of calibration areas
• per acre
• - Divide 4 by 43,560.
• Amount of material applied
• in calibration area (lbs)

21-0-0
240
4,000
40 ft x 100 ft 4000 sq ft
0.0918
22.8
248