Large-Animal Manure

For folks who don’t farm or garden, a malodorous pile of manure is usually a fly-attracting eyesore to be avoided. But most farmers and gardeners won’t turn up their noses at such a deposit; where some might see rank waste, they instead see nutrient-rich material that can be composted and spread over pastures or plants to help them flourish.

According to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Extension, animals excrete about 70 to 80 percent of the nitrogen (N), 60 to 85 percent of the phosphorus (P), and 80 to 90 percent of the potassium (K) found in their feed. So manure can often replace fertilizer, as it slowly and steadily supplies the same nutrients while simultaneously improving soil health and structure—something most fertilizers don’t do.

If you