QUESTIONS?

The sodium content in chicken manure varies between 4 000 to 6 000 ppm or mg/kg. Let’s assume 5 000 ppm… Percentage-wise it is 0,5%. On 1 000 kg dry manure it calculates to 5 kg of sodium. If you apply it contributively to a soil analysis, the sodium in the soil will increase by 1,6 mg/kg after 100 kg chicken manure is applied. 100 mg sodium/litre water is an acceptable level of sodium in water. One irrigation of 25 mm water/ha is equivalent to 250 000 litre water/ha. 250 000 litres of water contains 25 kg sodium and will increase the soil analysis by 8,3 mg/kg. If the general soil analysis is 75 mg/kg sodium, the elevation through the once off application of chicken manure is negligibly small as opposed to the repeated applications of irrigation of water.

Organisms are responsible for the composting process. Certain organisms will decrease in numbers as the temperature rises and others’ numbers will rise. The composition of organisms are determined through the composition of the compost, aeration and the availability of moisture. Organisms will increase as the temperature of the compost drops. The addition of manure to the soil serves as a nutritional source for organisms and as a supplement for plant nutrition. The nutrition source for the organisms lie mainly in the form of carbon compounds such as sugar, starch, carbohydrates, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The presence of carbon compounds and nutrition cause improved root development. This leads to increased route-exudates. The joint direct and non-direct effect of manure or organic material leads to a diverse environment of organisms, a characteristic of a healthy system. Manure and compost contribute directly and indirectly to microbe nutrition through higher root mass.

1. Smaller and more regular application of organic material deliver better results and is more cost effective than once off large applications. 2. The combination of chemical and organic fertilisation delivers more sustainable fertilisation solutions. 3. The pelletised product are distributed evenly, thereby ensuring even distribution of nutrients. 4. The pelletised product can also be distributed with air-pressure planters and certain gravity grain planters. 5. Composted pelletised products release nutrients slower than inorganic fertilisers which lessen leaching of nutrients. This ensures a constant background availability of nutrients thus improving soil fertility. 6. Uncomposted manure has a wide C:N ratio which can lead to a nitrogen negative stage that can adversely affect the crop after application. 7. Uncomposted manure contains more weed seeds. 8. Composting eliminates possible harmful pathogens. 9. Composted, pelletised Atlantic Fertiliser products are delivered with a maximum moisture content of 15%. The moisture content of raw manure can be very high (50 – 60%). 10. Free ammonium in raw manure can burn crops. 11. Pelletised products can be an excellent medium whereby trace elements and nutritional supplements can be applied. 12. The products can also serve as a carrier for beneficial organisms, e.g. Trichoderma.