From

Location

Message

Date Posted

NEPA [email protected] KB3QKV

Is there really a big difference between dairy and steer manure? Is there much of a difference between manure from the pasture and manure with bedding in it? I am using steer manure this year and it is from out in the pasture. Just raw chowchips. Anyone ever play cowchip bingo? LOL

1/5/2006 11:20:30 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

No difference at all between dairy and steer manure from animals that are out on pasture.
Indoors dairy animals would often be fed higher quality feed and this will result in higher nutrient content.
Sometimes dairy animals lie on a chalk cubicle base some of which will find its way into the manure others loose housed on straw bedding may have lime spread over the straw to reduce levels of bacteria which can cause the disease mastitis.
Every farms manure will be slightly different but at the end of the day plants go in shit comes out.

1/6/2006 3:34:12 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

As far as with or without bedding goes the stuff without bedding has been reduced to fine particles by the cow and will be less open in texture at the beginning whereas straw will take a while to break down and may keep your soil a little more open whilst it does so.
Can't really comment on woodchips as they are less commonly used here.

1/6/2006 5:32:59 AM

ENGLAND

Alun Jones grew his 1048 in soil, which has had a lot of Horse Manure with wood shavings as the bedding material, added over several years. When one walks on the Soil in Aluns' Pumpkin Patch it is just like walking on a sponge and has the consistency and appearance of Chocolate cake. I can see another, and maybe more, 1000+ Lb Pumpkins coming from that patch this year as it has had 14 years of constant build up. I hope Alun will come in on this and give more detail of his Soil Amendment by using Horse Manure with Wood Shavings.

Regards
Mike

1/6/2006 6:17:49 AM

NEPA [email protected] KB3QKV

Not including the fact that wood chips take longer to break down, besides adding what nutrients that wood chips add, there is no difference with the wood chips? Eventually the wood chips will break down so all is the same?

1/6/2006 8:48:34 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

There is a difference...I do not have my book with me right now...To give you specific details. It is not that big of a difference. Steer manure is feedlot manure most of the time.

1/6/2006 9:14:57 AM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

Here are results from the University of Guelph in lbs/ ton (%)
Solid Dairy manure: Avg Dry Matter 24.2%, 12.2N (.61%), 2.6 NH4-N (.13%), 3.7 usable N,3.1 P205 (.17%),10.8 K(.5%)

Solid Beef Manure: Avg Dry Matter 28.6%,14.6N (.73%), 1.6 NH4-N (.08%),3.4 Usable N,4.2 P205 (.23%),12.3 K (.57%)

As you can see the beef manure contains slightly less Usable N and slightly more P&K. These results are from aproximatle 150 samples.

Composted Cattle Manure: Avg Dry Matter 38.3%, 17.2N (.86%), 1.1 NH4-N (.05%), 5.8 usable N, 5.2 P205 (.28%),23.8 K(1.1%)

1/6/2006 1:51:02 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

This result came from my shed and was lightly straw bedded grass silage fed dairy cow manure about 1 year old.
22%DM,P2O5 5.95lbs/ton,K2O 14.77lbs/ton,Mg 4.4lbs/ton.

1/6/2006 6:02:00 PM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

I thought poo was poo?

1/6/2006 8:55:11 PM

Phoenix, AZ

Here is the deal:

Steer manure is assuming it is from a cattle farm. To fatten them, they intice them to eat more by adding in NaCl, that is table salt. So all is good but then you have to get rid of the sodium. Sodium is bad for our soil. Sodium disperses soil, not clump it like OM will.

1/6/2006 10:24:05 PM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

Ben
The same holds true for dairy cattle. Lots of salt is used in the ration to stimulate water intake (Milk is mostly water) I dought there is significant difference between steer and dairy manure.
As you can see the analysis of the manure from the UK is signficantly different than the dairy cattle manure from Ontario. This is likely due to regional diatary differences. For exanple UK cows eat a lot more grass than Ont cows.
The point is that manure will differ from region to region but the bottom line is we need lots of manure in our patches and it will be much better if its composted first! I wouldn't sweat what type of manure you get....just get it!

1/7/2006 10:56:49 AM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

Further to that...
If the manure you get comes out of a barn where they are using a bedding pack (vs a barn with slatted floors and little or no bedding) The manure will have a lot more straw and consiquently be much better for our purposes adding more OM/ ton of manure applied and far less salts

1/7/2006 10:59:14 AM

NEPA [email protected] KB3QKV

The manure that I am using came out of a pasture. No barn no bedding. Just straight poop and that is the straight poop. Sorry for the dumb joke. But that is the poop. Sorry again.

1/7/2006 11:07:22 AM

NEPA [email protected] KB3QKV

If the salt level is too high is there a way of diluting the salt in the patch? Guess just wait till there is a soil analysis and follow direction.

1/7/2006 11:10:25 AM

Norton, MA

One thing to watch out for: If the farmer has the manure piled next to a field where vine crops are grown, then rotten pieces often get put in there. If the rotten vine pieces are diseased your patch will get diseased. AleX Noel.

1/7/2006 11:31:35 AM

Nashville, TN

OK - we produce three different types of manure piles here:

#1 - barn waste = Horse waste + wood shavings + old hay = 3 months of composting, STEAMING like mad, will be half 'dark compost' at this stage.. one year later - the NICEST, spongiest, blackest, soil you've ever seen.. similar to what that top grower has I'm sure....

#2 - Horse Paddock waste - We scrape our smaller paddocks every six weeks into huge piles. Horse waste + some old hay + 3 months of composting, steams like crazy. Turns into a 'heavier' black compost than #1. Not as spongy - but full of C, N, P, etc....

#3 - livestock Paddock waste - we scrape our 'winter livestock paddock' every six weeks into huge piles. Cow manure + goat manure + old hay = 3 months of composting, again lots of steam. Turns an even 'heavier' black compost than the others.

I believe it's the fact that the shavings and the horse's less digested waste - makes for a 'spongier' texture in the compost. Which helps retain moisture better, and won't compact very much. I would add wood shavings from a local mill to your straight cow manure - it will help loosen and lighten the soil structure.

1/7/2006 12:30:13 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

The way to lower sodium levels in soil is to add Gypsum,most growers appear to be doing that anyway for the calcium and already have that covered.Most farm animals get some form of minerals/trace elements in their diet phosphorus,copper,zinc,calcium,magnesium,boron etc and these are mixed with salt to make them more palatable even my daughters horse had a salt lick on the wall.
Some of your feedlots may use more if the whole diet is unpalatable but I wouldn't write any manure off without speaking to the farmer first.

1/8/2006 4:22:40 AM