Slurry application – methods

Manure is a natural fertilizer very rich in nutrients. Unfortunately, when manure is not properly applied to the soil, a significant part of the components is exposed to losses. So how do you apply fertilizer to the soil while reducing losses as much as possible? You will find out in today’s article.

For a very long time, the popular method of applying manure was the splash method. It consists of pushing manure out of a pressurized barrel onto a so-called “disc”, which splashes the liquid onto the surface of the field. This method, although the cheapest and most common, is unfortunately associated with very high inaccuracy and lack of precision in the application of fertilizer. Another, and perhaps the biggest disadvantage, is the significant contact of the slurry ground by the disc with the air, which is associated with huge losses of volatile nutrients. In extreme cases, in high winds, nitrogen losses reached almost 100%!

Considering the above disadvantages of splashing slurry application, the use of topsoil applicators began. Soil slurry applicators are machines that introduce manure into the soil, reducing the contact of slurry with the air to the maximum, and thus significantly reducing the loss of volatile nutrients. We can specify several types of soil applicators, and these are: tine soil applicators, disc harrow-based soil applicators, and drag skate or drag hose-based soil applicators.

As we mentioned earlier, we can divide soil applicators into several types. What kind of applicator to choose?

The choice of the right applicator mainly depends on the conditions under which you want to apply the slurry. If you want to apply fertilizer into growing grain, corn or meadows, a drag-hose or drag-skate based applicator, which applies fertilizer into the interrows directly into the soil, will be best suited. The downside of this solution is that the fertilizer sits on top for some time and is not mixed into the soil in any way. It is best, therefore, to apply fertilizer to moist soil or before expected rainfall to reduce nutrient losses, which will still be much less than with the rhizomatous technique.

The second type of applicator is the disc harrow-based slurry applicator. This is the type of applicator typically used for cultivation. The great advantage of such a machine is its versatility in use. We can work with it in almost any, even harsh conditions, for example: on fallow land. The disadvantage of an applicator based on a disc harrow is a much higher power requirement and the weight of the machine itself. For example, for an applicator with a working width, we need a tractor with about 150 horsepower + the power needed to pull a barrel truck.
Another type of applicators are soil applicators on a spring coulter. These machines are also designed for cultivation. By using a spring coulter, we can introduce fertilizer deeper. Spring coulter applicators have a slightly lower power requirement and lighter weight, which is a definite advantage, since we can use a tractor with less power for this purpose. Unfortunately, to use such a machine we must have a relatively clean field so fallow cultivation is unlikely to be an option here.

There are even more types of slurry applicators, while let’s now focus on a disc harrow-based applicator and a spring-loaded coulter. AGROLAND offers both of these machines.

AGROLAND TSG slurry soil applicator is a massive machine equipped with 2 rows of toothed discs with a diameter of Ø 560 mm and a seasoning roller, single or double. On the frame of the machine there is a distributor of the renowned company VOGELSANG or BOMECH from which spill hoses are derived, the spouts of which are placed on the first row of discs. As a result, the working liquid, immediately after being introduced into the soil, is seized with soil by the second row of discs, which minimizes the loss of volatile nutrients to a minimum. The entire machine has been treated with a special anti-corrosion paint, and the pillars and counter plates have also been galvanized to minimize the corrosive effect of the slurry. With the AGROLAND TSG applicator we are able to work at a depth of 10 to 15 cm, which is sufficient for the application of slurry or other liquid manure.

The AGROLAND GUNIN slurry soil applicator is equipped with 2 rows of FLEX-type spring coulters and a row of harrowing fingers at the rear of the machine. A distributor from VOGELSANG or BOMECH is also placed on the machine frame. In this case, the spill hoses are placed on the first as well as the second row of coulters. Thanks to the spring tines, we are able to apply fertilizer more deeply, which promotes the development of the root system of the following plant, as the plant seeks food more deeply. Thanks to the better development of the root system, plants are less vulnerable to drought.