Cow Manure.....

The neighbor raises cattle and over the winter has quite a pile of manure..... I would like to know if this is to "potent" in its natural form to put in my flower beds and mix in the holes as I plant my seeds, seedlings and larger plants. Especially Hostas, Cannas, EE's and my Brugs.

Fresh is not so good, as it can burn the plant roots....aged is MUCH better.....take what you need from the bottom of the pile :-)

Yes, fresh dung can burn the roots . Piling and using later from the bottom is a sensible practice.

Hello All,

Couple of questions on a similar vein...

What defines "aged"? Is sitting for a summer enough or should it sit over a year...

Would horse manure be ok? Is there a difference if the horses mainly eat oats rather than "free ranging"?

Thanks,
Annie

Horse manure cab burn plants and roots just as easily as most others.......best to wait a good year before using to much of it.
At least is what I learned last year while investigating using aged horse manure in my veggie garden.

Thanks much for the advice RikerBear. I'll pile it up then and wait. ;o)

Horse manure has more viable seeds in it as they don't reprocess their foods as does the cud chewing cow.

Goat manure and rabbit manure can be used fresh; the others must be composted or aged first. Anyway, that's what I've always heard 8=} Lucky you to have a source of fertilizer so handy!

I agree with Blooms,

As a horse rancher, we have an abundance of manure to use. Seeds are a real issue. We feed the manure and bedding to earthworms, and they take care of seed viability for us by thoroughly digesting manure. Thermophyllic (hot) composting of the manures available will also reduce or eliminate weed seed viability. Fresh manure laid out or "aged" over a summer really only works in areas where summer rains are common. In dry climates, the mineral salts in the manure accumulate and can cause as much damage as the nitrogen.

Looks like it's best to stay away from horse manure then particularly not knowing where or what they've been eating.

I also had wondered about other things in their diet, like medicines, etc. I'd heard that race horses are given steroids. I wonder how that might affect, say a vegetable garden vs. flower beds. I don't know enough about chemistry to know how these things break down... or if they break down.

shavis: I didn't know goat and rabbit manures could be used fresh. Now... where to find a rabbit farm.... :o)

Reports vary on whether rabbit can be used fresh or not....some say yes, others no. From what I've been reading the only one that can be used truly fresh is lama. Don't ask me why, it's just what I've read.

http://www.plantea.com/manure.htm

Marc,

Reports and opinions do vary on the subject of fresh vs. composted manures. I always try to opt for the easy way so if it can be done, I like to do it. 8=} For years, I've used these two sources successfully so my info is primarily anecdotal though I have done a bit of reading on the topic. As I understand it, most of the reason that fresh manures burn the plants has to do with the urine content because of the ammonia it contains. Since both rabbit and goat manures are pelleted and mostly dry, the problem is less. There is very little odor with goat manure for the same reason. All manures are good as soil builders, as you know, but most do have to be composted first. Rabbits are usually caged and fed a prepared mix so there is little concern about weed seeds. On the other hand, if goats are fed on forage, there may be some, but if kept in a pen (as dairy goats often are) and fed alfalfa hay and commercial grain, there are no weed seeds in their excrement. An added plus is that their manure is easy to handle and odor free.....yay!!! I just found out too that goats excrete endogenous substances (yikes, maybe drdon will know what that is) from their intestines so that there is additional protein etc. in their manure. Anyway, the entire topic is interesting, but kind of moot unless one has a source of this kind of fertilizer. On a side note: As I was browsing around for good material about this, I read about a place in Seattle which is a community garden called #24 Phinney Ridge made by bringing in truckloads of goat manure to enrich the soil. Coincidence? I think not! Hehehehe.

sharv

Yes, different opinions on the fresh vs composted thing.
I have used fresh goat, lama and rabbit manures for years with no apparent problem. All the rest need to be aged so they do not burn the roots. Chicken manure is especially 'hot'. Sheep less so than cow and horse but fresh sheep manure makes the very best manure tea!!

Here in the west tho a year for aging is the best. Salts do build up from the lack of precip. Not so in other areas of the country where precip abounds, so one overwinter or one summer growing season should be just fine for adequate aging. I've had trouble with weed seeds-and not just any seeds-but canada thistle, jointed goatgrass, knapweeds and bindweed from using hourse manure. I get horse manure now from places that purchase only certified weed free hay or use pelleted feed. I almost never use cattle manures anymore. But it's just due to availability. Most cattle near me are on the range almost year round soi no one bothers to clean up after them so to speak, lol!!

I'd be interested to find out whether anitbiotics or steriods break down but it seems that the more important question is if they are actually absorbed by the plants. Not all substances are. Some plants are more adept at it it seems-like plants that actually uptake selenium (loco weed, prince's plume and others) where differnet species growing in the same area do not.

I'm glad I saw this thread --- my next door neighbor dropped off a load of horse manure on Sunday. He said it's been "aging" for about six months. I guess I'll wait another six months before using it in my flower beds.

lol sharvis,

Let's see what the nerd can tell us...rotf.

By definition, endogenous substances are substances/compounds emanating from an organism...i.e; goat.

All animals secrete/excrete endogenous substances. I looked up some vet-med sites and none had anything to say about goat poop containing endogenous round-up or cyanide, so my thought is that unless your goats are living close to a round-up/ pcb/ dioxin source...all is well with Billy and Companys' excremental properties.

From a perspective of a goat's diet, I might suggest that not only is goat manure safe, but they have what appears to be a very thorough digestive process, so it would also appear that there is indeed a rather reduced threat of weed seed in their manure, certainly less than with horses.

I just love potty humour

HA HA I love potty humor too!

I keep 2 miniature goats here (my girls), and can attest to the fact that whatever they eat, it all comes out looking the same (in regards to their superior digestive systems). I've never had an issue with viable weed seeds being recycled (unlike with my horses).

Only thing, "hard" isn't the word for it - those little -um- poos, take FOREVER to break down, they're like rocks! Hmmm, good be good for slow release though! -Christie

Now listen up gardeners,
we'll give you the scoop
on the relative merits
of animal poop.

Use all that you want
if only you dare,
when what you have handy,
comes from a mare.

For just like her mate
(your trusty old steed),
her poop will be riddled
with beginnings of weed.

A truckload of manure
from the neighbor's cattle,
will have to be aged
or your plants will do battle.

They'll burn and they'll die,
it's too hot, you see.
Cause along with the dry stuff,
it contains lots of pee.

It's my humble opinion,
that you're always in luck,
when you have the excretion,
of a doe or a buck.

You can use as it comes,
from a rabbit or goat.
Just heap on the garden,
then sit back and gloat.

Your soil will be happy,
the flowers will glow.
Veggies will love it,
and everything will grow.

So read what we say,
pay attention to that.
There's a lot to be said,
for the value of scat!

Attention

Next week at this site we will have a lecture by our own resident nerd, drdon. He will speak to us on the topic of

THE ENDOGENOUS ZONES

Adults only please. ;=]