Manure

[Sketty]

Everybody seems to use horse manure on their plots, but all the farmers use slurry. I know a farmer who'll deliver  tonnes of the drier stuff for nowt (he can't use it in the bowser). Is there a difference? :-\

[Sketty]

[TEL]

HI sketty
slurry is normally pig poo i know it contains  a lot of chemicals i cant spell.
But as far as i know as long as you don't keep sheep you should be OK.
PS but it stinks.

[Sketty]

No Tel this is good old cow poo. The nice crusty bits off the top of his slurry pit (doesn't pong any more than horse manure). ;D

[TEL]

All i can say then is dig it in .

[Sketty]

Think I'll try it on a limited scale first. :-\

[Doris_Pinks]

 get loads and chuck it on your compost heap!
Or I would be inclined to spread it over my beds for the winter, then cover with something and let the worms get going on it !

[Sketty]

Good points. I was thinking of it for three reasons a) I thought it would be easier on my back b) It's easier for me to get hold of and c) I've forgotton what the third reason was. :-[ ;D

What has just occured to me is that cows are far better at digesting vegetable matter than horses, so wouldn't that lead less nutrients in the manure?

The soils around here are light and sandy (close to the sea). Would that make a difference?

[Sketty]

Why thankyou. :) Not as much difference as I thought. Interesting the feed issue though, because it is not technically organic milk he produces. In summer the dairy cattle are feeding exclusively on grass (which is fertilised with said slurry) in winter they feed on silage and hay I helped cut and bale myself from the same pasture. The only other thing the eat is organic pelleted feed whilst being milked.

I never thought about organic manure before. Is horse manure organic? :-\

Note. I only know the pellets are organic because it says "Joe Bloggs organic animals feeds" on the delivery truck.

[Sketty]

I never thought of GM products. Wouldn't animals whose products end up in the the human food chain be subject to stricter veterinary controls? Is there such a thing as organic veterinary medicine? :-\

[flowerlady]

There is also the tiny question of the age of the pony poos. 

If its only a year old you are importing grass seed by the bucket full.  (not enough time to rot the seeds).   :o

Don't forget it needs to be at leasat two years old.   ;)

[Doris_Pinks]

Do horses eat nettles, cos I have masses of them in my horse manure this year! :-\

[flowerlady]

Not that I have noticed. 

[MikeB]

Had a quick check of the various veg books I have, all of them recomend cow poo as being the best, next is horse then pig etc.

Regards

MikeB