Knowing how to compost horse manure and ensuring that your equestrian facilities have a proper manure management plan in place is extremely important; this is an essential step in ensuring that both the horses and people in your stable are always able to enjoy a hygienic, healthy and pleasant environment.
Paddock Blade is here to assist in all things manure and paddock management; continue reading for more information about manure management in order to develop a plan for your stable.
Why Bother With Proper Horse Manure Management?
The proper removal and disposal of the manure in your stable helps with the following:
The high temperatures that occur in compost will kill fly larvae which helps prevent the presence and breeding of flies and other parasites.
Prevention of offensive or unpleasant odours in the stable and around the farm in general.
Prevention of diseases and disorders of the hoof (thrush, founder).
Horse paddocks that have composted manure spread out evenly across the surface will benefit from horses feeding more evenly and not in patches.
Prevention of both odour and environmental pollution.
The prevention of surface runoff from manure negatively impacting the environment (water contamination).
The promotion of a more neat, organized, and hygienic environment.
Saving money on fertilizer for pastures and paddocks.
How To Compost Horse Manure
This method of manure management is widely favored, as it is relatively simple and yields fantastic results.
- Manure is taken from the stalls and paddocks and deposited in one single area.
- The manure is then piled up over time to create a large pile that will encourage the successful composting of the nutrients inside the manure.
- The best size for a horse manure pile is about 4 feet high by 5 to 7 feet wide, if you have a lot of manure then make several piles around the size mentioned rather that one giant pile which runs the risk of not decomposing well.
- The pile must be kept moist at all times, and must periodically be turned to promote the oxygenation of the compost pile. Composting is what is referred to as an anaerobic process, in which oxygen is used to break down the nutrients.
- Turning the pile can be done by using a pitchfork, or by using a tractor.
- To ensure that decomposition is progressing as it should, it is a good idea to invest in a compost thermometer.
- These elongated thermometers can be found at most gardening and farm supply stores, and they will allow you to determine if the compost pile in between 130 and 150 degrees fahrenheit: this is the window of temperature in which decomposition is at its optimal progression.
- The nutrients found in composted manure are excellent for promoting healthy soil and grass, and composted manure has proven to be a useful and successful fertilizer.
Whether you choose to use the resulting fertilizer on your own land or sell it to local farmers, gardeners, or other stables, composting your stable’s manure is simple and provides positive results for all involved. If you choose to spread the composted manure on your own land, it is important to ensure that you do so in evenly distributed layers that are not too thick.
Proper manure management is crucial in ensuring that your stable is protected from unpleasant odors, environmental pollution, and insect or parasite infestation.
It can also serve as an additional source of income, or as a way to provide you with a way to save money on maintaining the pastures or paddocks on your property.
Moving forward with the information you learned here, you will be able to design a manure management plan that works for your stable to promote a healthy, happy, and hygienic stable environment.
Paddock Blade is dedicated to helping you keep the most beautiful and hygienic paddock areas possible without the back-breaking work that usually comes along; check out our site for more information!
