In today’s discussion, we are about to get into something that perhaps doesn’t get talked about too much for the apparent reason: manure. We know that this topic is a little bit tricky to many, but this is something that has a beneficial aspect to it when looked at deeper. We also know that some tend to avoid talking about this kind of matter but, hey, future farmers out there are looking into a possible way to make use of an otherwise tricky business.
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What is Manure?
By definition, manure is a type of organic fertilizer commonly used in agriculture. Composed of organic matter, the fertilizer is created out of predominantly animal excrement, with some combining it with a green variant of it as well as compost. The matter can alter the soil condition by improving its fertility as it adds a more organic component and enrich the soil with nutrients.
Nitrogen is one such nutrient; the element is commonly used by fungi and bacteria as well as tons of other organisms within the soil. A chain of food is formed from this as lower organisms are food sources for higher ones.
Types of Manure
Nowadays, manure can be divided into three major classes:
Animal-Based
This variant is mostly feces and can be further divided into:
Farmyard Manure Type (FYM)
FYM is composed of plant parts such as straw, in addition to the excrement. The straw was initially used as bedding for the animals. Over time, the bedding gets mixed with both feces and urine.
Farm Slurry
This liquid matter is formed in livestock rearing systems that are more intensive, often with the use of slats and concrete.
Different types of excrement bear different properties. Sheep-produced one, for instance, is rich in both potash and nitrogen. Pig-based, on the other hand, is low in both. Bird excrement is high in its nitrogen and phosphate concentration, which makes it highly prized.
Compost
In simple terms, compost is the remains of decomposed organic materials. Typically, compost is of plant materials in origin. However, at times, it can get mixed with dung from animals.
Green Manure
This variant is composed of crops that are grown specifically to be plowed in the soil. This, in turn, will improve soil fertility through mixing it with nutrients. Clover, of a leguminous family of plants, is the typical subject to be turned into this variant. Their root structure houses Rhizobia bacteria, which aids in fixing soil nitrogen levels.
Other materials can also be turned into this particular fertilizer, such as the plant matter derived from the content of slaughtered ruminants’ rumens, seaweed, and spent grain (such as the byproducts of beer-brewing).
Uses of Manure
The use of animal manure such as cow dung and chicken litter is a centuries-old practice. They are used as fertilizer in agriculture. Soil mixed with this matter is improved in its structure, making it capable of holding on to more water and nutrients. Microbial activity is also heightened through the use of this fertilizer, which leads to increased nitrogen levels, assisting plant growth.
Still, when dealing with an organic fertilizer type like this, there is always one thing that becomes a big issue for many: Its foul-smelling odor. The dung of the omnivores, such as swine, contains acids in the form of valeric, butyric, propionic, acetic, and carboxylic. There is also trimethylamine and skatole. It’s for this reason that unpleasantly smelly fertilized is being directly injected into the soil to reduce exposure to the odor.
The dung of the herbivores, on the other hand, is relatively mild in its odor due to their diet being composed of plant matter, which is low in protein levels. Still, herbivore manure that has been through fermentation will smell just as bad. In addition, fresh droppings of the poultry are dangerous to plants, which is why they need to be composted first.
Now, as you move forward with your plan to get into the agricultural business, you might consider getting a management system for the manure from the animals you are rearing. Worry not; Jummos is here to offer you a variety of devices and tools that you need for this specific purpose. Specifically, we have a cow dung truck to vacuum clean the manure on your farm. Contact us today, and we’ll see what we can do to help you out.