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Manure Management

Manure contains high concentrations of bacteria, phosphates, and nitrates. When manure enters surface or groundwater, its constituents can cause serious water quality problems including:

• Bacteria: can spread disease to other livestock and people in the watershed
• Phosphates: promote algae growth when dissolved in surface waters. As algae dies, decomposing bacteria removes oxygen from the water - killing fish. Algae also plugs irrigation filters and reduces scenic and recreational values for streams.
• Nitrogen: Can be detrimental to livestock and human infants through excessive nitrate levels in well water. Ammonia forms of nitrogen remove oxygen from water, killing fish. Nitrogen also promotes algae growth.

Benefits of Storing and Composting Manure

• Reduces parasite reinfestation in your horse or livestock (The heat generated in the composting process kills worm eggs as well as parasites and weed seeds)
• May reduce fly populations
• May reduce odor
• Reduces volume of manure and shavings, etc. by approximately 50%
• Reduces the manure contaminated runoff to surface or groundwater
• Provides a free, easy source of compost/fertilizer - a valuable addition to pastures, gardens, and yard
• Makes property appearance pleasing and enjoyable to look at

Requirements:

• No activities shall be conducted which result in the discharges of wastes into waters of the state. Wastes include, but are not limited to, livestock manures, composts and fertilizers.
• No wastes shall be placed where they are likely to escape or be carried into the waters of the state.

Objectives:

• Keep animal waste run-off from reaching streams, by storing it and recycling it properly.
• Utilize your natural resources and reduce costs for chemicals.

What can be done?

• Store manure at least 150 feet from streams. under a roof or tarp to protect it from rain.  This prevents leaching of nutrients into surface or ground waters.
• Select a storage site where run-off from surrounding area cannot run into manure pile and pose a threat to groundwater. Optimal storage is on a concrete slab with walls or curbs.
• Locate animal confinement and manure storage areas away from surface waters.
• Install gutters on manure storage structures to capture and divert runoff away from buildings. This will prevent run-off from flowing through manure areas.
• Add grass clippings and other green yard debris to the pile to reach the proper carbon to nitrogen balance for speedy and hot composting. Green leaves are high in nitrogen.
• Add just enough water to the new compost pile to reach the consistency of a wrung out sponge. Horse and some other manures are not wet enough with dry bedding to compost.
• Turn the pile to aerate it. or place a few PVC pipes with big holes drilled in them, into the pile to add air. Avoid compacting the pile. This will speed the compost process, reduce odors, and increase the temperature.
• Reduce parasite and fly problems by managing the compost to reach 115°F for several days and harrow the manure in the pasture. Experiment to get a balance of air, moisture, nitrogen and fiber for hot compost.
• Clean confinement areas regularly (such as stalls and dry lots) to properly store, utilize, or dispose of manure.
• Do not add lime or enzymes to the compost pile. They are not needed.
• Consider hauling manure off your property. Store in a covered trailer and deliver trailer to a nursery, crop farm, or neighbors. Properly composted wastes may be more marketable than raw manure.
• Composted Manure is ready to spread when it has reduced in volume by about 50% and it looks evenly textured and crumbly like soil.

Manure Use:

• Apply only as much manure as your crop or pasture can use. Test soils and manure at least every three years. A minimum of one acre of well vegetated land is needed for annual spreading of manure from two horses or cows. The recommended acreage is two acres per horse or cow for spreading of manure. Test your soil at least every three years for over fertilization. Contact nurseries, crop producers, or gardeners to use manure in excess of your soil needs. Otherwise, remove annually to a landfill.
• Requirements for Manure Spreading between March 15-May 15 (Must meet all):
  • Slope of less than 15%
  • Depth of water table greater than 2 feet from ground surface
  • More than 50 feet to nearest waterbody or well
  • No flooding on site

  Unless all of these requirements are met, manure spreading must wait until May 15th

• Avoid applying manure to soils from October to mid-March. Slow growing plants will not capture the nutrients. Nutrients can wash into streams or leach to groundwater
• Apply composted manure evenly to pastures, fields, and gardens at rates not exceeding plant nutrient needs. Six months storage of manure from two horses should be spread on not less that 1.5 acres of pasture.
• Apply manure carefully, leavin a well vegetated buffer at least 50 feet wide between manure application and all streams, ditches, ponds, wet areas, or wells.
• Avoid putting uncomposted shavings on pastures. Shavings can take years to break down in the field, compared to less than three months in a functioning compost pile. Runoff from shavings piles can be toxic to fish and wildlife.
• Do not use manure as fill material. It will remain saturated, will not compact, will only grow weeds, and will leach nutrients and bacteria to streams or groundwater.
• Use manure mixed with sand or other materials in a riding arena - to make an excellent exercise surface for horses.

Related web pages:

• Communicating for Agriculture is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the needs of America's farmers and ranchers. They can be contacted at:  http://www.cainc.org
  

Commercial suppliers:

• None identified.

Electronic mailing lists:

• None identified.

Suggested references:

• None identified.

Periodicals:

• None identified.

This page was last updated on November 15, 2002