That means spring manure application has also begun, says Todd Whitney, an Extension educator with the University of Nebraska based in south central Nebraska.

Whitney says farmers should be working on equipment to make sure everything is functional. They also need to plan ahead when it comes to applying manure.

“You want to make sure you’re getting the most impact from the manure,” he says. “Check the soil so the manure is going where it’s needed the most.”

Whitney cautions against applying manure in fields that are already high in phosphorus. He says soil testing will help farmers make better use of the nutrients in the manure.

Hog manure will have more nitrogen in the form of ammonium, and if that manure is only surface-applied, Whitney says there will be considerable loss. Manure that is injected or incorporated will be much better utilized in the soil.

Feedlot manure is generally surface-applied, Whitney says, and there is not much volatilization loss if manure is applied to the surface only.

Whitney says it also pays to test the manure prior to application.

Equipment needs should be assessed well ahead of time, says Melissa Wilson, an Extension specialist with the University of Minnesota.

“Whether you are pumping liquid manure or loading solid manure, going through your equipment now is important for avoiding spills or downtime when it is go-time,” she wrote for the Minnesota Crop News website. “For liquid systems, how did your hoses hold up over the winter? Are the pumps ready to go? For solid spreaders, are the beaters worn down? Is there slack in the apron chain that should be adjusted? For any system that needs to travel on the road, are your signals and brake lights working?

“During heavy use, keep monitoring these things to watch for wear and tear that can be fixed before it becomes a problem.”

When it comes to manure testing, Wilson suggests certain things be checked out.

“At a minimum we suggest total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, though ammonium content can also help you understand the first-year nitrogen fertilizer value of the manure,” she says.

Compaction should also be considered.

“Soil compaction during spring manure application is a concern. The first and main thing you can do to reduce this issue is stay off wet fields if at all possible,” Wilson says. “The second thing to consider is tire size on your equipment. For example, say you have a 6,000-gallon tanker that weighs 55,000 pounds when full. Tires that are 20 by 20 on two axles on this tanker will likely have to be inflated to 32 PSI, while 28.1 by 26 tires on two axles will be able to be inflated at 16.5 PSI.

“To minimize compaction, you want ideally to be around 10 PSI when in the field. Speaking of tires, making sure they are properly inflated is another key tip. Road inflation is usually at a much higher PSI than is needed in a field and is sometimes overlooked when entering a field.”

Traffic patterns should also be monitored.

“The first pass of a heavy implement usually causes 80% of the compaction, so limiting equipment to the same areas can minimize the overall compaction in the field,” Wilson says. “A healthy soil with good structure can resist compaction. Consider using cover crops and minimizing tillage to build up soil structure.”