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Nutrient Management: Efficient nitrogen application and other nutrient tips

Wes Zylstra raises crops and pigs not far from Des Moines, Iowa, and very close to Interstate 80. Wes is proud to be the third generation on that farm and one can tell by the way he talks, he’s enthused to be there. When first contacted, Wes was counting off a load of newly-weaned pigs. Those 15-pounders are important for more than one reason. As a livestock producer, Wes has access to fertilizer from manure. He puts a lot of thought and planning into applying manure in a way that delivers to most to his crops and that keeps him in good stead with people who live close by.

“First of all, I want to keep my neighbors happy,” says Zylstra, adding that he can’t afford to misuse nutrients. “I need to have a relative level of confidence that the nutrients I’m putting on the crop are giving the economic benefit I need from them.”

Wes is noticeably proud to follow in his dad Roger’s footsteps in adopting practices that enhance the health of the soil. For Wes, that soil enhancement starts with fertility and managing nutrients.