As farm animals spend time in barns, stalls, pens, loafing areas, or feeding areas, the problem of dealing with manure arises, how do you dispose of it? What can it be most effectively used for? And how can it be used? The fact is, you will need to deal with manure from those areas as those piles can not be left just sitting there. And that is when Farmyard Manure clicks in.
There are different agricultural terms employed in various countries when referring to “Farmyard Manure”
such as Fold yard Manure, Yard Manure, and Dung.
All these terms refer to more or less the same thing which is a decomposed mixture of the excreta of domestic animals with the straw or other litter that is used to improve fertility of the soil.
Farmyard Manure (FYM) is an important organic resource for agricultural production in crop-livestock-based farming systems.
Animal manure represents a valuable source of Phosphorous (P) released following breakdown by microorganisms in the soil that can sustain crop requirements.
A beautiful thing about manure is that manure contains valuable plant nutrients, like Nitrogen (N),
Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and Sulfur (S). Manure nutrients come from the feed that the animals have eaten. The value of manure is found in its nutrients, organic matter, solids, energy potential, and fiber.
In fact, most of the nutrients that animals eat end up in their manure. The amount of nutrients in manure depends on the type of manure and how it is handled.
The nutrients in manure are a mixture of inorganic and organic forms. Many of the inorganic nutrients in manure are the same as those in commercial fertilizer.
These nutrients include such nutrients as ammonium nitrogen, a soluble phosphate, and potassium salts which easily dissolve in water, and plants can use them right away.
On the other hand, the organic forms of nutrients come from the remains of plant tissue, cells, and bacteria that are in the manure, and these are called Slow-release Nutrients because plants cannot use them immediately and they become available to plants as the manure decays in the soil.
There are tiny insects in the soil which help to break down the organic matter in the manure and this releases nitrogen and other nutrients into inorganic forms that quickly dissolve.
Manures are very variable products often difficult to apply accurately and release nutrients in the soil at a rate that is very dependent on environmental conditions. However, some studies have shown that Farmyard Manure when applied was effective in maintaining soil quality under continuous cultivation.
Another beauty of Farmyard Manure rests in the fact that it was found to help in increasing water storage, soil nutrient availability, and crop yield, the reverse being the case when there is continuous inorganic fertilization which negatively affects the soil quality because of depletion of organic matter.
The Farmyard Manure as it rots down in the s goes to restore the stock of humus, which always tends to
diminish. It is colloidal and improves the texture of all soils, also gives cohesion and water-retaining power to sands.
One other beautiful aspect is that manure contains many useful, recyclable components, including nutrients, organic matter, solids, energy, and fiber. And in the modern world, we find ourselves today, we can leverage science and technology to use manure more efficiently in more ways than one.
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These techniques can protect water and air quality, and reduce greenhouse gasses. Indeed when managed improperly manure can be harmful to the environment, but when properly managed it can serve as a valuable, renewable resource.
USES OF FARMYARD MANURE
Farmyard Manure (FYM) can be used for varieties of things ranging from local used to more sophisticated uses.
Some of which are stated in the paragraphs beneath.
Used as Nutrients:
Manure contains Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and other nutrients that plants require in order to grow well which is the number one use.
Farmers can often save money by properly utilizing manure to serve as fertilizer just like other fertilizer sources, as long as the manure is applied from the right source, at the right rate and time, using the right methods, and in the right place.
In fact, farmers can also sell manure to gardeners and others who use nutrients to grow plants as the case may be.
Manure nutrients can also be used to grow worms, insect larvae, algae, or other living organisms through
“Biomass Conversion” These organisms transfer manure nutrients to their bodies or castings, which can then be harvested and used as animal feeds, or soil amendments.
Used as Organic Matter:
Addition of manure to soils is an excellent way to increase soil organic matter as it contributes to-overall soil health-the soil’s ability and sustainability to function as a living ecosystem. Also, organic matter improves soil structure and the soil’s ability to hold water. Healthier soils improve crop yields and reduce soil loss from both wind and water erosion, and protect water quality by reducing contaminated runoff. Land managers can increase soil organic matter by applying raw manure or a manure product like compost, or pellets.
Used as Solids:
Manure begins as mostly water. Different types of manure can contain from 8 to 26 percent solids. By
separating the liquid and solid portions of manure, the solids can be used for other purposes. Many dairy farms
use separated manure solids for bedding and this saves farmers’ extra costs.
Used as Fiber:
Manure contains a great deal of fiber. Some of the fiber is from undigested animal feed and some is from straw, sawdust, or other bedding that gets mixed in with the manure.
Manure fiber has been used to produce a number of specialty consumer products like seed starter pots, fertilizer garden sculptures, paper, and building materials. Consumer products help turn manure from a potential environmental liability to a commodity that helps make life easier.
Generally speaking, of course, the value of farmyard manure will vary on different soils and with different crops due to the fact that the type of manure and the environment determines how quickly the nitrogen is released.