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Manure: production and nutrients per hectare

How much manure the herd produces and how many nutrients it carries to the area.

Pre-sizing and estimating tool: the results do not replace a design, calculation, or report signed by a qualified professional, nor verification against the applicable standards.

Preliminary estimateRevision 12/11/2026
Herd and manure production
Contents in fresh manure (kg/t)

Contents and output per animal vary with species, diet, litter and management. Laboratory analysis of manure is the best source.

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—Available N in the 1st year
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Total nutrients applied per hectare

N, P₂O₅, and K₂O reaching the area with the manure dose.

Tap the chart to see the values.

Available N by application area

For the same herd, the dose drops as the area increases.

Tap the chart to see the values.

What if the data changes?

Drag the controls to simulate data different from what you entered (from 30% less to 30% more) and watch the result change instantly.

Tap the chart to see the values.

Mineral fertilizer that manure replaces

How much mineral fertilizer is equivalent to the available nutrients in the manure, per hectare and for the whole area. Available N based on the recovery you entered; P and K based on total content.

Step by step with your numbers

The calculation done in steps, with the values you entered.

    The calculation memo gathers this page's inputs, results, equations, assumptions, and references, with fields for project, responsible person, and review. The full report also includes the charts and interpretations, in color. In the print window, choose Save as PDF.

    How to use

    Enter the number of animals, the manure production per animal and per day, the production days in the year, the application area, and the N, P₂O₅, and K₂O contents of the manure. The calculator shows the dose per hectare and the nitrogen available in the first year.

    Hypothetical example

    60 animals, 10 kg of manure per day, 365 days, 30 ha area, illustrative contents of 5 kg/t of N, 3 kg/t of P₂O₅ and 4 kg/t of K₂O, and 50% N use efficiency.

    Production = 60 × 10 × 365 ÷ 1,000 = 219 t/year. Dose = 219 ÷ 30 = 7.3 t/ha.

    Total N = 7.3 × 5 = 36.5 kg/ha; available N = 36.5 × 0.5 = 18.3 kg/ha.

    Precautions

    • The starting contents are illustrative; use an analysis of your farm's manure.
    • This calculation does not replace the soil analysis or the crop's fertilization recommendation.
    • Fresh and dry manure have very different contents: check the basis of the content entered.

    Method, assumptions, and references

    Equations used

    Production (t/year) = animals × kg per animal per day × days ÷ 1,000
    Dose (t/ha) = yield ÷ area
    Total N (kg/ha) = dose × N content (kg/t)
    Available N (kg/ha) = Total N × N use

    Assumptions and limits

    • Contents and output per animal vary with species, diet, litter and management; use measured data.
    • Contents on a wet basis: kg per tonne of fresh manure. If the content is for dry manure, adjust the calculation.
    • N use is the fraction of the total N available in the first year, after volatilization and leaching losses are deducted.

    Standards and technical documents

    • Kiehl, E. J. Organic Fertilizers. Piracicaba: Agronômica Ceres, 1985.
    • Raij, B. van et al. Recomendações de adubação e calagem para o Estado de São Paulo. IAC Technical Bulletin 100. Campinas: IAC, 1997.

    Frequently asked questions

    Does this calculation replace the soil analysis?

    No. The fertilization recommendation depends on the soil analysis and the crop's needs; manure comes in as a nutrient source.

    How do I know the N content of my manure?

    By laboratory analysis of a representative sample. Table values are only for estimates.