Free manure testing workshop for farmers, growers and consultants

With speakers from JSR Farms, ADAS UK and Eurofins, the event will provide an overview of the benefits of using manure, slurries and biosolids to more accurately assess the amount of the material that needs to, or can, be applied to crops, and so reduce costs. 

 

The escalating cost of artificial fertilisers means that it makes economic as well as environmental sense for farmers to apply manure back onto the land, but many farmers tend not to know the nutrient content of organic materials so often inaccurately calculate how much to use for best results. Excessive use of nutrients can mean reduced profitability, increased environmental issues, and the potential for crop yield reduction as well as having an adverse effect on quality.

 

Eurofins will be demonstrating the benefits of rapid testing of manure to give accurate results.  Following extensive research and method validation* the company has recently launched a rapid test which uses Near Infra Red Spectroscopy (NIRS) technology to test for dry matter, total nitrogen, ammonium-nitrogen, phosphate, potash, magnesium and sulphur. The method is accurate, rapid and consistent and covers both solid and semi-solid materials.

 

 Andrew Scott, Business Unit Manager from Eurofins said: “Good nutrient management can save time and money so growers require a rapid and robust method for quantifying nutrients and their availability in manures, in particular taking account of nitrogen levels. The new NIRS method developed by Eurofins has been calibrated against traditional methods and gives more consistent results, cost effectively in a shorter time frame, so enabling farmers and consultants to have a more accurate picture of their nutrient applications.”

 

The new manure test is part of a growing range of agricultural tests offered by Eurofins which includes soil analysis for arable, grassland and protected horticulture; hydroponic solution analysis; silage and feedstuffs analysis; compost testing to PAS100 and Fertilisers values of manure, slurries and liquid waste. 

 

 

 

Source: BPEX