Composting Horse Manure Presentation at 2004 Rocky Mountain Horse Expo Kathy Corwin Doesken, CSU

Whether you have one horse...

or many horses...

You Need to Manage Your Manure! Maximize the agronomic and economic benefits of manure while reducing adverse environmental consequences Minimize manure problems with flies, odor, dust, parasite reinfection, spread of insect–borne diseases, fire danger, AND improve the view

What can I do with manure beside apply it to farm land? Make compost!

Why Try Composting? Reduces volume of manure about 50% Minimizes pathogen, weed, odor, and insect problems Stabilizes nitrogen and phosphorus compounds which avoids water pollution Produces a useful and saleable soil amendment Retain control of your waste stream

Manure is a resource! This costs you money and wastes a valuable resource. Consider other options.

What You Need to Compost Manure, waste feed, bedding Convenient and environmentally appropriate site (away from wells, water) Source of water to wet compost Equipment or hand tools Knowledge of composting principles

METHODS OF COMPOSTING Active windrows: this presentation Passive windrows: CSU fact sheet* Worms : CSU fact sheet* Bins * some fact sheets here today; online:

What is composting?

Composting is the managed, biological, oxidation process that converts heterogeneous organic matter into a more homogeneous, fine-particled humus-like material. from FIELD GUIDE TO ON-FARM COMPOSTING

MANAGED: what YOU do! Provide carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in 30:1 ratio Provide oxygen for oxidation process at 5-20% Provide water to keep moisture at 50%

BIOLOGICAL: what microorganisms (MO’s) do Many species of bacteria and fungi metabolize the C and N to grow and multiply, using oxygen and water in the process Composting is farming MO’s, which are present in the soil !

OXIDATION “In the presence of air” Used by MO in respiration Oxygen is in pore space in compost windrow Use bulking material and turn to maintain pore space for air

Leaves make ideal bulking material for horse manure; so does most bedding

Heterogeneous Organic Matter Horse manure Bedding Waste hay Spoiled feed or grain Leaves and grass clippings Kitchen scraps

Heterogenous material: leaves and manure very visible

Homogeneous (homo=same) Organic Matter, Fine-Particled, Humus-Like Material COMPOST!!!!!!!!

How is compost made from horse manure?

Choose a site Mowed area, smooth, slightly sloping Near manure source Near water tap BUT at least 100 ft, from “waters of the state” or wells Control run-on and run-off Table for area needed in fact sheet on active windrows

BUILDING THE WINDROW Layer manure loosely with bulking material, adding water to 50% Work end view into rectangular shape like loaf of bread, top flattened Add new material at one end only

Newly Built Windrow at Large Horse Facility

Experimental windrow at CSU

Add plenty of water until pile is as damp as a wrung-out sponge. Composting organisms need moisture to work.

MONITOR WINDROW Check temperature with compost thermometer ( or your hand Heat is an indicator of biological activity of microorganisms Observe heating cycle: temperatures increase then decrease several times After a decrease, turn windrow to aerate; add water if needed

Height and width of windrow depends on equipment! 4-6’ tall - HOT AREA feet wide (?) END VIEW OF COMPOST WINDROW

The temperature will rise to over 140º in a newly built pile, which will kill most weed seeds and pathogens.

Continued Monitoring… After turning, monitor heat cycle again Turn when temperature decreases Check water; Add if necessary Repeat turnings until temperature ceases to rise (about 4 turning cycles)

Variations on Windrow Composting Bins Passive Aeration Worms

CURING PHASE When temperatures cease rising, mesophilic (mid-temperature) MO’s take over to finish process Keep windrow moist, less than 50% Takes 1-2 months Compost becomes homogenous, dark

Why cure? Assures highest quality product pH shifts to neutral Soil MO’s recolonize compost, impart disease suppressing qualities to compost If too much C left, use of this compost as a soil amendment may cause a temporary N deficiency, just the opposite of what you want!

When is my compost done? After heating cycles stop After curing Check for homogenous, fine-particled humus- like appearance Earthy smell Maturity tests: Solvita test* (do-it-yourself ), experience, confirmation by testing at a soil lab *

How can compost be used? As a soil amendment to increase soil organic matter, fertility, water holding capacity Use as topdressing for pastures,lawns, gardens, shrubs, trees Make compost tea (new area) Stall bedding Sell to landscapers

REFERENCES Visit our website at Composting* from Rodale press (good place to start, good reference, at the library) On-Farm Composting,* NRCS (order CSU) Visit –Go to Cooperative Extension, Publications, Fact Sheets! *sample copy on display

How to learn more about composting? Organize a workshop, arrange mentoring: contact us

Dr. Jessica Davis, extension manure management specialist: Soil and Crop Sciences Department, CSU