Manure Management Methods to Enhance Nutrient Quantity and Quality on Smallholdings in the Central Kenya Highlands
| Autor: | J.K. Lekasi, J. C. Tanner, P. J.C. Harris, S.K. Kimani |
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| Rok vydání: | 2002 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Biological Agriculture & Horticulture. 19:315-332 |
| ISSN: | 2165-0616 0144-8765 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/01448765.2002.9754936 |
| Popis: | Smallholder mixed farming systems of the Central Kenya Highlands rely upon organic inputs, particularly manure, to maintain soil nutrient levels and stabilize crop yields. However, nutrient losses during collection, composting and application of manure can be substantial. The effects of simple methods for combining cattle faeces, urine and rejected maize stover forage on the conservation of nutrients during storage and composting and on maize productivity over two seasons after field application of manure were investigated. The methods were; (1) faeces (F) + urine (U) + feed refusals (FR) mixed in a deep-litter system by a steer (method S), (2) F + U + FR, (3) F + FR, (4) F + U, all collected and mixed manually, and (5) F (faeces only). F + FR effectively conserved the N in the faeces and feed refusals. With S and F + U + FR, after 60 days collection and 84 days composting, the additional N from urine was completely lost and only 5.5–5.6 g N kg−1 steer initial liveweight (LWi) was obtained compar... |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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