Hi Andrew,

I am becoming more concerned about chicken litter as time goes by, and I see more an more negatives. Did you know they often add aluminum products to the manure as an odor reducing agent? We have observed some very negative crop responses in both the short and the long term.

The answer to your question is that litter will not provide enough trace minerals on its own. Where soil calcium levels are adequate (and this is an important prerequisite) we continue to get increasing benefits from higher boron applications. We are now at 5 lb per acre per year as a standard practice, with ever increasing crop responses as we go higher. Our test areas are now up to 10 lb per acre per year. Will have to report back on how that works in the future.