Which manure management practice is favored for nutrient utilization and reducing runoff?

The favored manure management practice for nutrient utilization and reducing runoff is injection. This method involves applying manure directly into the soil rather than leaving it on the surface. By injecting manure, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are placed where they can be readily absorbed by plant roots, improving their utilization and minimizing the risk of nutrient loss to runoff.

Injection significantly reduces the likelihood of runoff into nearby water bodies, as it diminishes the exposure of manure to rainfall and surface runoff. This practice therefore not only enhances nutrient absorption by crops but also helps maintain water quality by preventing excess nutrients from entering waterways, which can lead to problems such as eutrophication.

The other options, while they have their benefits, do not provide the same level of effectiveness in preventing nutrient runoff and maximizing nutrient availability for crops. Surface application can lead to increased runoff because the manure is exposed to precipitation. Composting is a method of stabilizing manure but doesn’t address nutrient application directly in the field. Land application without the incorporation or injection of the manure can still result in nutrient loss through runoff, particularly after heavy rains.