Ammonia losses from Zimbabwean cattle manure before and after incorporation into soil

Abstract

Incubation studies, using dynamic and static techniques, were carried out to determine the quantities and time course of NH3 loss from freshly excreted cattle dung and decomposing manure under storage conditions, and after incorporation into soil. Between 0.7 and 2% of total N in fresh dung was immediately lost through volatilization upon drying. Losses from decomposing manure in simulated storage conditions were up to 4% with most of the losses occurring within five days, while losses after incorporation in soil were less than 1 %.