Welcome to the Value of Manure web page. Our goal is to bring to you the best research-based information on extracting value from or adding value to livestock and poultry manure in an environmentally sustainable manner. Other sections in the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center website will address the more technical aspects of some of the same issues. The focus of this section is on the economics of manure.

Economics of Manure Management

• Business Arrangements for Manure Offsite Transfer
• Costs of Manure Application and Transport
• Manure as a Source of Crop Nutrients and Soil Amendment
• Research Summary: Chemical and Biological Enhancement of Broiler Poultry Litter
• Value of Manure and Economics of Manure Management

Like much of the technical aspects of manure management, the strategies to improve the economics of manure management are often site specific. As you review these materials remember that the practicality and results of a strategy will differ with the type of manure and operation, availability and type of land, availability of capital, labor, and management, alternative markets, and several other factors. Thus, the emphasis of this site will be on the process of evaluating the costs and benefits of a strategy rather than on recommendation.

Webcast Presentations

• Value Added Processing of Manure
• Value of Manure in Energy Generation
• Value of Manure in Land Application Systems

Research Summaries on Manure Economics and Value of Manure

• Research Summary: Chemical and Biological Enhancement of Broiler Poultry Litter

Additional Resources

A recent report by the Economic Research Service entitled Confined Animal Production and Manure Nutrients provides an overview of manure production and the farms and regions that are surplus or deficit in manure nutrients. Typically, if a farm or region is grain deficient, it is also nutrient deficient and the most economical use for the manure is as a source of crop nutrient. The economic question becomes one of how to minimize cost of storage, handling and application in the immediate area.

A recent USDA ERS report Manure Management for Water Quality: Costs to Animal Feeding Operations of Applying Manure Nutrients to Land examines these costs. Value is not added, but rather costs are reduced to increase farm profits. For regions that do not have sufficient land readily available for manure application farmers are often looking for alternatives to local land application. These alternatives may include finding new uses for manure (new markets, energy production, etc) or changing the form of manure to reach more distant or different markets. Whether local or distant, conventional or alternative markets, if manure is transferred out of the livestock production operation, there will be a business arrangement between the manure buyer and seller.