Manure generated by concentrated livestock operations far exceeds capacity of nearby croplands Ecological Society of America Number 3, Summer 1998 Nutrients in manure can be recycled by applying the manure to cropland. However, the amount of manure generated by concentrated livestock operations often far exceeds the capacity of nearby croplands to use and retain the nutrients. At typical stocking rates for feedlots, for instance, an area of cropland roughly 1,000 times greater than the feedlot area itself is required to distribute manure nutrients at levels equal to what the crops on that land can use. This much accessible cropland may not be available, so excess quantities of manure are applied to smaller land areas. The excess nutrients then build up in soil, run off, or infiltrate to water supplies. Or, in the case of N, they may enter the atmosphere. Back to Main Index Page