As a result, many of the soils in Western and Central Maryland are high in available P. Current feeding recommendations may overestimate the amount of P required in dairy cattle diets. Researchers are investigating ways to reduce the amount of P in manure by reducing the amount of P fed for a given level of production. In another research study, the impact of somatotropin, milking frequency and photoperiod on dairy farm nutrient flows was investigated. Soil Remediation Soil remediation involves either chemically fixing a compound so it is biologically inactive or using some process to remove the compound from the soil. One innovative approach being investigated is a soil amendment which, in part, combines poultry litter with dredged material.
Chemical fixation makes P unavailable for the long term.
It does not remove phosphorus from the system. Though research indicates significant reductions in soluble P are possible as compared to unamended poultry litter, the secondary effects of fixatives on the environment remain a concern Phytoremediation Phytoremediation is the growing of crops that are hyper accumulators of target compounds. Hyper accumulators have the ability to concentrate high levels of target elements in plant tissue. This technique has been successful in removing heavy metals from contaminated soils. Risk assessment profiles are being developed for these operations.