Home > Manure

There are roughly two classes of manures in soil management: green manures and animal manures. Compost is in a different catagory, as it has been described as a "bizarre artifical soil ecosystem".

Green manures are plants grown for the express purpose of plowing them under. Such plants, like clover, may also "fix" nitrogen in specialized nodes in the root structure, further contributing to the fertility of the soil by feeding the fungi in the soil.

Animal manures are the excreta of animals, such as feces and urine, sometimes mixed with straw or hay. They contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding nitrogen that is trapped by bacteria which is part of the soil composition.

Higher organisms then feed on the fungi and bacteria in a chain of life that comprises the soil food web .

Uses of manure

Manure has been used for centuries as a fertilizer for farming, as it is rich in nitrogen and other nutrients which facilitate the growth of plants. Liquid manure from pig/hog operations is usually knifed (injected) directly into the soil to reduce the unpleasant odors. Manure from cattle is spread on fields using a spreader. Due to the lack of proteins in grasses, which herbivores eat, it has a much milder smell than that of carnivores - for example, elephant dung is practically odorless. Poultry droppings are harmful to plants when fresh but after a period of composting are valuable fertilizer.

The dried manure of animals has also been used as fuel throughout history. For example, dried manure of camels and other animals (usually known as dung) was an important fuel source in deserts where wood was scarce. It was used for many purposes, in cooking fires and to combat the cold desert nights.