Dairy Cattle Manure—Its Effect on Yield and Quality of Coastal Bermudagrass

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Abstract
The effect of year‐round disposal of dairy cattle manure on Coastal bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) yield and quality was evaluated on small plots. It was applied as a solid at rates of 45 and 90 metric tons ha−1 year−1 and as a liquid at rates of 45, 90, and 135 metric tons ha−1 year−1, dry weight basis. The manure was applied six times annually at approximately 2‐month intervals. Check plots received N, P, and K at the rate of 470, 225, and 470 kg ha−1 year−1 from mineral fertilizer during the growing season. The soils were Lucedale sandy loam and Dothan loamy sand.Yields were lower on the manure‐treated plots than on the mineral‐fertilized plots the first year except for the 90 and 135 metric tons ha−1 year−1 liquid manure treatments on the Dothan soil. Yields were lower on the solid‐manure treated plots than on plots treated with an equivalent rate of liquid manure on both test areas all 3 years except for the Dothan soil in 1973. The 90 metric tons ha−1 year−1 treatment yielded as much as the mineral‐fertilizer plots the second year on the Dothan soil, but this was not true until the third year on the Lucedale soil. The 90 metric tons ha−1 year−1 treatments, solid or liquid, outyielded the mineral fertilizer check by 25 to 40% on the Lucedale soil the second and third years.Nitrate N and organic N were highly correlated. Nitrate N was accumulated when organic N contents in the tissue were 2.5% or higher. Concentration of K in the plant tissue was high, but K/(Ca + Mg) ratios were not above 2.2, so the forage was not considered tetanic. Manure could be disposed of at rates of 45 to 90 metric tons ha−1 year−1 on Coastal bermudagrass and without impairing quality of forage.

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