Research Demonstrates Feasibility of Pocket Injection

CANADA - Research conducted by the University of Manitoba has proved the concept of pocket injection to be a technically feasible option for applying liquid livestock manure to grassland and forage fields and low tillage fields, writes Bruce Cochrane.
calendar icon 5 November 2009
clock icon 3 minute read

With pocket injection, rather than applying liquid livestock manure in furrows as is the current practice, the manure is applied in pockets.

Researchers with the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences have designed and are testing a prototype pulsing meter which can be fitted onto an AerWay soil aerator to deliver the manure.

Dr Ying Chen, a professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering, says pocket injection offers lower soil disturbance and is well suited to hay and grassland and reduced tillage situations.

Dr Ying Chen-University of Manitoba

We did both laboratory and field tests to examine the performance of the manure delivery device.

This device was named as a pulsing meter.

Liquid manure coming out of the pulsing meter is not a continuous flow as the current manure delivery system but is an intermittent flow which consists of liquid pulses.

We have done three prototypes for a pulsing meter.

The last prototype was adapted on the AerWay machine for pocket injection in forage fields.

Test results showed the pulsing meter design had the desired function of generating pulses.

It can be easily adapted on the AerWay machine.


Dr Chen says the current pulsing meter and aerator are more suitable for low manure applications rates.

She says in order to accommodate higher application rates, further design enhancements will be required.

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