Condition the soil the old fashioned way with dairy cow manure

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • June 6, 2011
  • 880
                        
Summary: Conditioning the soil and adding nutrients the old fashioned way is easily accomplished by applying dairy cow manure to the soil. Unlike other animal manures, dairy cow manure has fewer weed seeds and can be applied fresh or composted. There are a host of natural soil conditioners used in fields and gardens to add nutrients and organic matter to soil but the single most useful soil-builder comes from dairy cow manure. When applied at the proper time, it is safe to use in unlimited quantities. A dairy cow's manure typically contains over 50 percent of the nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus that the cow consumes in her daily feed ration. Dairy cow manure is better than steer manure due to the different diets they consume. Steer manure tends to contain more weed seeds which can sprout in the field or garden. Because the nutrient value is relatively small for cow manure, it's more accurate to consider it a soil conditioner rather than a fertilizer. As a soil conditioner, manure protects against erosion, helps the soil absorb water, improves drainage, creates better soil structure and enhances microbe activity. Pound for pound, the nutrient content of manure may be lower than most synthetic fertilizers; manure, however, provides the carbon compounds or organic materials that build soil structure; something synthetic fertilizers cannot do. What exactly is manure? Fresh manure is a combination of feces and urine. Aged or composted manure usually contains other things as well, like bedding, spilled feed, runoff, parlor wash, the content of the rumens of slaughtered animals and even hops left over from beer making. When used as a soil conditioner, manure serves a great purpose but it can also be a pollutant if it is not managed correctly. Animals raised for human consumption generate three times as much waste as the humans who will eventually eat them. It is important for farmers to have a manure management plan. A well-fed dairy cow produces more than 100 pounds of manure a day. In Ohio alone there are more than 267,000 dairy cows. That’s a lot of poop. Returning manure back to the soil is a great way to utilize the good aspects of manure all the while preventing it from becoming a pollutant. Composted dairy cow manure is available bagged at most garden stores or nurseries and is quite affordable. Some farmers will even give manure away, but purchasing it is an excellent way to support a local farmer. If you are lucky enough to find a local source for raw manure, it’s easy to compost it yourself. The same principles apply to composting manure as to any other organic material. If you already compost, you will have no problems composting fresh manure from a dairy cow. - Begin with a balanced mix Mixing equal parts of green and brown waste will produce an environment conducive for breaking down the manure and allowing it to rot. Green things include grass clippings and kitchen scraps. Brown things include leaves or straw. The manure is considered a green thing. - Add water and air A good compost pile has enough moisture to keep the microbes alive while still allowing air to penetrate the pile. It takes a good six to nine months to compost manure, depending on whether you are managing the pile actively by turning the pile periodically or passively, meaning simply letting it sit. -Use it wisely Remember to use soil amendments responsibly and have your soil tested annually to be sure you are not applying more nutrients than your plants need. Excess nutrients, whether in the form of synthetic fertilizer or composted manure, can run off or leach into the environment and contaminate streams, lakes, and wells. Using composted manure is the safer than using fresh manure. When applying fresh manure to the garden, it is best to do it in the fall or at least 120 days before harvesting occurs. Manure should never be applied to the garden after planting has taken place.


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