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Re: manure disposition




Maggie,
I am sure that you will get some very good advice from those much more
experienced than I, but I feel I would be remiss if I did not at least share
what I know with you regarding your questions. I just attended a clinic put
on by one of our local equine vets all about worming and worms, etc. The
eggs will live for an indeterminate time. Cold and freeze does not irradiate
them. Very hot sun, however will kill the larvae. So when you know you will
be having several days of very hot sun it is ok to spread the manure to
break it up to bake. The larvae will migrate in a radius of 5 to 6 feet from
the manure deposit. You do not want the horses grazing where they can ingest
these. It is definitely not advisable to spread fresh manure on the pasture.
You will be depositing billions of potential parasites for the horses to
ingest. Someone asked at the clinic if it was ok to go out each day and rake
the manure to spread it and break it up to be baked in the sun. The answer
was a definite no. The best management is to pick it up from the pasture
(which is what I do during the summer) but this is time consuming and I only
have five horses on five acres.

As to the question of what to do with the manure, some stables have a
collection site where they deposit the manure and some are fortunate to have
contact with nurseries who pick it up weekly. The boarding stable where I
take my riding instructions has 40 horses and uses primarily straw for
bedding. They have part of a field of about 1 acre or more as the collection
site. It is deposited in piles which over time decompose and then is sold to
individuals for their gardens or nurseries, etc. It takes a long time for
those piles to decompose as they are not turned or worked with. I have an
area behind my barn where I dump the manure from the stalls and from the
field pick-ups. I dump in one pile for about two to three weeks. During the
summer, I water the pile after dumping. This helps to get the process going
and if you insert your hand into the pile it is extremely hot from the
anaerobic action taking place. I have read that the best size for quick
composting is about three by three. My piles are a bit larger than that. I
am fortunate enough to have a tractor and every three or four weeks, I turn
the pile and when I am ready to start another pile, I move the most recent
one to the back.
Currently I have about five piles, four of which are completely decomposed
and waiting to be used as compost. Sometimes in the spring, I will spread
the completely composted piles (some are over two years old) back on my
field. It is about the consistency of dirt and smells rich and good. In
fact, there is no odor at all from these piles. If you have the room and
facilities to work your piles to compost them, the resulting materials
should not be hard OT give away or sell. If I were embarking on a larger
stabling venture, I would invest some time into visiting the local nurseries
and contacting landscape designers as they are always looking for
fertilizer.
I wish you much success in your venture. I hope that you get many
suggestions.
Pat in Ashland, Oregon


----- Original Message -----
From: Meeks <meeks@palmnet.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 1999 4:14 PM
Subject: RC: grass


> Hi again!
>
> I am going to be seeding for a new pasture for a boarding stable.  What is
> the best grass for the horses to eat?  Would alfalfa hay be too rich for
> them to graze on all day?  the will eat coastal hay at night, and in the
> morning.
>
> Also, the pasture has been dormant for 3 months now- do I not need to
worry
> about worms?  I do not know the history of the farm except the it was
> allowed to go to pot.  Also- is it okay to spread the daily stall manure I
> the pasture?  I have always seen people do this, but wonder about it.  We
> are talking about 15 stalls, and 10 acres of pasture.
>
>
>
>
> Thank you!!
>
> meeks zoo
> Faith - blue and gold macaw
> Sunny- sun conure
> 2 dogs
> 3 cats
> Lyra- my pride and joy- Arab mare
> Yanni  (miniature shetland)-why does everyone pick on me just because i am
> SHORT ???
> ~____/>
>   //    \\
>
> Kickin' It Screenprinting and Embroidery
> 407-724-9989
> Meeks@palmnet.net
>
>
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