Will spreading manure make grass grow like mad?

[morganpony86]

Last spring I got myself a Newer Spreader. LOVE IT. I started spreading about 8-10 cu.ft. of manure every day. I started in the front lawn because it was easier to get to and I was also riding my horse regularly out there and thought it may help the grass a bit. My horses get most of their weight in feed from hay, so generally what I spread is above replenishing what they ate from grazing.

All my neighbors asked what I was doing, and when they found out I was spreading horse manure, they all exclaimed that I’m going to end up mowing my grass every other day as opposed to once a week/every other week this coming summer. I live along the Gulf, so our mowing season is already Feb-Nov, so I’m a little nervous. But I can’t imagine spreading fresh manure will make that much of a difference…. will it?

[SMF11]

I spread it on my pastures for the first time last spring, and YES it made a HUGE difference. I did it on a patch where the soil isn’t great, and the grass always dies out midsummer. I’d tried commercial fertilizers and didn’t notice much difference in years past. Last year, the grass never died out, it kept growing and was a beautiful green.

[csaper58]

Are you composting the manure befor spreading it? The Gulf Coast has either sandy loam or clay soils do you know which you have? Spreading raw, uncomposted manure can spread pathogens around, and if there are lots of wood shavings in what you are spreading, that can stunt the growth of any plants you spread on. LSU Ag Center has lots of good info on manure management.
www.lsuagcenter.com

[Emilia]

I agree with Csaper58- it is better to compost manure before spreading. It becomes much better and safer fertilizer, “the black gold,” as it sometimes has been called.

With spreading fresh manure, I would worry, as a minimum, about nitrogen and phosphorus levels, contamination of water, cyclic re-worming of the horses…

Please, read up on it. There is a lot of information on the internet. Cherry Hill is a good source, too. I mention her often, especially her book “Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage,” but she is, IMO, one of the best experts in the US as far as the horsekeeping goes.

If you decide to compost, you need three compost piles- one, you add on to, second one cooking, and a third one finished (that would be the one you take from to spread).

People compost all sorts of different ways, though. This is an ancient practice and the one I have seen on both sides of the ocean.

Do people spread fresh manure? Yes, they do. I see it all the time, where I live. I do not consider it a safe agricultural practice, however.

If you decide to continue spreading a fresh manure, you might want to keep in mind, you cannot let horses graze in those areas.

To share our practice- I collect manure from paddock and pastures and compost. It is a lot of work, but, I believe, is worth the effort. I see ourselves more like guardians of a land than owners and try to approach the subsequent management from that angle.

Manure management can get overwhelming. Sometimes, it remains me of that Grimm’s fairytale “Sweet Porridge,” except, it is not the porridge we deal with… Enjoy!

PS: I got so wrapped up in the manure management issue, I forgot to answer your question! Yes, spreading manure, preferably composted, will greatly improve your land. It is a magic and can end up in you having to go to store and buy a bunch of muzzles for your horses. Ask me, how I know. :lol:

[morganpony86]

Nope, manure is not composted. I used to, but it became far too much of a hassle with 3 horses producing ~150lbs of crap a day.

Why would spreading fresh manure facilitate pathogen life cycles? It’s not like my horses are pooping out the flu, and parasite eggs need moist conditions to hatch. By spreading manure thinly, it takes away that environment as they’ll dry out. Besides, my herd is closed and I perform FECs routinely.

And I have never heard of fine shavings arresting plant growth. What is the purpose of mulches, then?

[Emilia]

Allow me to cite Cherry Hill on this, please:

Horsekeeping on Small Acreage, page 251

[I]"Spreading fresh manure is the least environmentally responsible choice, due to the probability of agricultural runoff leading to high nitrates and water contamination. However, if manure must be spread daily it should be distributed on land that will not be grazed by horses for at least a year.

Even on cropland or hay fields, it should be spread thinly and/or harrowed to encourage rapid drying, thus eliminating favorable conditions for fly larvae and decreasing odor.

[/I][I]Be sure you have determined an agronomical application for your land so you know when your daily spread must stop (your county Extension agent will be able to help you determine, what is optimum for your land)."

[/I]Many people on smaller acreage end up giving or selling manure, because their horses produce more than they can use. If you can get in contact with a mushroom grower, they would be very thankful.

I still think, the composted manure is the best option. I know, it is a terrible hassle and it is a back-breaking activity. Then again, what type of farming isn’t?

One last thought- most horses do not like to eat, where they defecate. If you spread it all around fresh, well, you have just created one giant poop pizza, albeit thin crusted… Would you want to eat that?

[buck22]

Yes it does make the grass grow I’ve found, but whether its like mad or not I think is determined by your soil type. A couple of friends have small boarding operations, they spread fresh manure daily or every several days in very sandy areas. There is some grass growth, where there was none previous, but its no amazon jungle. One friend drags weekly on compacted soil paddocks and it helps but the grass doesn’t grow like mad either and does turn into a dust bowl in dry conditions anyhow.

In areas where the soil is already pretty decent however I find manure makes grass grow like its supercharged however. Compost moreso than fresh manure, its nutrients are just more available.

[morganpony86]

[QUOTE=emilia;7332305]
Allow me to cite Cherry Hill on this, please:

Horsekeeping on Small Acreage, page 251

[I]"Spreading fresh manure is the least environmentally responsible choice, due to the probability of agricultural runoff leading to high nitrates and water contamination. However, if manure must be spread daily it should be distributed on land that will not be grazed by horses for at least a year.

Even on cropland or hay fields, it should be spread thinly and/or harrowed to encourage rapid drying, thus eliminating favorable conditions for fly larvae and decreasing odor. [/QUOTE]

The issue with quoting this is that there is no mention of the amount of manure and the amount of land on which it is spread.
So if I were to put my horses on pasture 24/7, would I be expected to gather up all of their manure on a daily/weekly basis and compost that? Because it’s essentially the same thing, only worse because the piles of poop are much more conducive to the fly lifecycle than spreading a thin layer.

[KSquared]

I spread mine out and have had no problems. This year I spread out a bunch of oat hay that went bad and dragged it through the manure and it grew nicely. I am hoping that in the spring I will have some nice grass in the pasture/arena that they can munch on.

I don’t even pick mine up, It dries out so quick in the SW, I just drag it once a week and till it out and it does great. No issues, no worm loads, no problems. My horses are happy and healthy. The neighbors below have thanked me as well, when it rains it runs off down the Mnt. and into their garden. and they have wonderful rich soil now because they turn what runs down into the garden, they have HUGE veggies and wonderful fruit.

[Emilia]

[QUOTE=morganpony86;7332616]
The issue with quoting this is that there is no mention of the amount of manure and the amount of land on which it is spread.
So if I were to put my horses on pasture 24/7, would I be expected to gather up all of their manure on a daily/weekly basis and compost that? Because it’s essentially the same thing, only worse because the piles of poop are much more conducive to the fly lifecycle than spreading a thin layer.[/QUOTE]

I agree, it is somewhat pointless to quote. I cannot re-write the entire chapter to show the perspective. The book is a wonderful source of information, but the numbers regarding the size of land & the amount of manure are not there.

Concerning the amount of manure you can or cannot spread- this is a question for your Extension agent. He/she can quote you an agronomic rate for spreading fertilizer on your particular land (in this case, manure).

As for manure piles attracting the flies, you could cover pile with a tarp or a 6-inch layer of finished compost to prevent access.

We live in an area, where nothing dries fast & I would worry about fresh manure contamination of land. It might be different at the Gulf Coast.

I surely envy you your spreader, though. I would like us to get one some day.

[RiderWriter]

As you can see by my signature, I have a bit of background in the manure spreading business! As far as land needed, Millcreek suggests approximately one acre per horse for “spreading room.” Many of our clients do indeed spread fresh manure; in fact, most of those with whom I have personally spoken do just that. Composting first is ideal but as you have noted, can be difficult and time-consuming. People invest in our spreaders to save time.

Some of our customers spread fresh manure on non-pasture areas and others rotate grazing/pastures. Both are appropriate practices. If your manure includes wood shavings, it’s a good idea to spread more widely. You should also get your soil tested yearly and apply fertilizer as needed.

Some people even spread fresh manure on pasture that is currently being grazed. This is ok if you have a closed herd and follow a good worming schedule.

OP, it sounds like you are doing everything right and I think your grass/pasture is going to look terrific!