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Manure and Compost Management

Manure is a resource when it is handled well and a problem when it is not. Good habits protect water, cut odor and keep people and cattle safe.

Why manure handling matters

Manure holds nutrients and organic matter that can help pastures and crops. It can also carry pathogens and, when mishandled, wash into streams or seep toward wells. How it is stored and used decides which of those happens.

Whether you run a small cow-calf herd on pasture or a pen-based stocker or feeding operation, a plan helps. Rules for manure handling differ by state and herd size, so check with your state department of agriculture and NRCS.

Because manure is handled by hand and machine, the plan should also cover who does the work, what protective gear they wear and how often equipment is checked.

Where manure builds up

On pasture, manure spreads itself. In pens, around feed bunks, in lots and in winter feeding areas, it builds up and needs managing. Put pens and feeding areas away from streams, wells and drainage paths, and keep clean water from roofs and uphill ground from running through lots.

Sloped, wet or frozen ground makes runoff more likely. Plan before you build, not after.

Look at the pens after a heavy rain. Pooling, channels and brown runoff show you exactly where the plan needs work.

• Keep lots away from water and wells
• Divert clean runoff around pens
• Maintain slopes for drainage
• Clean pens on a schedule suited to weather

Storage and stockpiling

Stockpiled manure should sit on firm ground away from water, with runoff controlled. Covering piles or using a designated area helps reduce leaching and odor. Ask NRCS or extension about approved designs and any setback rules.

Keep records of how much is moved, when and where it goes.

Do not pile manure in low areas, ditches or places where it may wash toward a creek. Tarps or roofs help where space allows.

Composting concepts

Composting is the managed breakdown of manure and other organic material, such as bedding or straw, by microbes. Done well, it reduces volume and odor and produces a more stable material that is easier to haul and spread.

Success depends on balancing materials, moisture, air and turning. Ask your extension office for local guidance and training. Composting of animal mortalities is regulated in many states, so check with your state veterinarian or department of agriculture before attempting it. If you suspect a reportable disease in any animal that died, call the state veterinarian, USDA APHIS or your herd vet immediately and do not handle the carcass yourself.

Keep the written method you follow handy, and write down dates, materials and what you observed. Notes help you improve next season.

Using manure and compost on land

Apply to land according to soil tests and local rules, not by habit. Avoid applying on frozen, saturated or steeply sloping ground or close to water. Use calibrated equipment and keep records.

If you grow crops for people, ask about waiting periods and food safety rules. Check with your state department of agriculture and FDA guidance where it applies.

Keep a record of rainfall around spreading dates and note any fields that stay wet. A pattern will tell you where not to spread.

Safety around manure and equipment

Manure storage can create dangerous gases, especially in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, and some of those gases can be fatal in minutes. Never enter a manure pit, tank or enclosed storage without proper training and equipment, and keep people and children away from open storage.

Equipment such as loaders, spreaders and PTO-driven machines needs shields, training and care. Follow manufacturer, OSHA and NIOSH guidance. Wear gloves and wash hands well, since manure can carry organisms that make people sick.

Teach every worker and family member, children included, the hazards before they walk near storage. Post warning signs where storage is open.

Common mistakes

Locating pens too close to water, letting runoff reach streams, spreading on frozen ground, entering storage spaces without precautions and skipping records are the usual problems. Another is composting mortalities without checking the rules.

Plan the system around the weather you actually get.

Check records yearly and walk the whole system after the first big rain of the season.

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