Incorporation of deep litter reduce ammonia volatilization: Effect of incorporation depth and timing (Short Communication)

Ammonia volatilization following land application can account for up to 70% of the ammonium content in deep litter. Soil incorporation reduce this volatilization significantly. The reduction efficiency of incorporation of land applied dairy deep litter by plowing and harrowing was measured with the ZINST micrometeorological measuring method. From non-incorporated deep litter (control) 48% of total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) volatilized, plowing within 20 min reduced volatilization to 13%, harrowing within 5 min-25% and harrowing within 6 h-39% of TAN.