Goat manure as fertilizer: benefits, composition, advantages

The article describes goat manure as a fertilizer: benefits, advantages, composition, features.

Manure as fertilizer: an introduction

Goat dung

Organic fertilizers are the most essential in modern gardening and horticulture. Perhaps, it is organic matter that contains the entire volume of minerals that are so useful for various crops. Gardeners mainly pay attention to the mullein, using it almost everywhere on the farm. But only a few know that, as a fertilizer, goat manure contains almost seven times more useful and nutritious substances, and from this it becomes an even more effective remedy. Moreover, the droppings of small ruminants today are more active in the ground. This makes it more digestible, and thanks to the goat dung, the fertile layer is restored much faster, and this, of course, has special advantages.

In this article, we will dwell in more detail on the description of the most useful properties of organic fertilizer, and also tell you what are the advantages of not only goat, but also sheep manure, which is also used to feed various crops and soil in general, but not all gardeners are sufficiently aware of the beneficial properties of these components and substances.

Goat manure as fertilizer: beneficial properties

Goat dung

Mineral fertilizers that are applied to plants are their food. But organic matter is food that is intended rather to nourish the soil, making it even more fertile and rich and, accordingly, favorable for a wide variety of garden crops to grow in it. Without organic matter of animal or plant origin, the soil becomes depleted. In order for the soil to recover and regenerate faster, the top layer of humus should be replenished. If you do not do this, then the vegetables will be completely tasteless, watery, and will not contain the whole useful complex of vitamins, trace elements and antioxidants, which are so necessary for the human body.

In the West, organic products are almost several times more expensive than standard mineral fertilizers. This is because organics are a valuable supplement. Products grown on organic fertilizers are also valued much higher. Yes, it is not so beautiful, but it is grown on absolutely natural additives, which means it is completely safe for the human body, for its health.

Farmers most often use the types of organic matter that they have in abundance. This applies to manure - usually mullein, horse and rabbit manure, as well as sheep or goat droppings are taken. You can also use poultry manure for the same purposes, since it contains a very large amount of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, and these substances are valued due to the fact that they are the basis for the growth of healthy and high-quality crops. An important role is also played by such a component as calcium, since it is he who has a special effect on the stress resistance of the plant, as well as on the degree and speed of its growth, development, rooting and, of course, on immunity against various bacteria and fungi.

Characteristics of the manure, composition, how to use goat manure as fertilizer

How to apply goat dung

Small ruminant droppings - goat and sheep manure. These fertilizers, among all organic matter, are considered very valuable for a single personal plot, or for huge farms where fruit trees and a wide variety of crops are grown. Also, goat and sheep droppings are great for feeding plants that grow in greenhouse conditions. This type of organic is hot. This is due, first of all, to the fact that it is during decomposition that it releases the largest amount of heat.

One thousand kilograms of goat manure accounts for the following amount of substances: approximately five kilograms of nitrogen, six kilograms of potassium and 2.5 kilograms of phosphorus. Also, the gardener himself can add straw or sawdust to the goat droppings, since they act as bedding. To a greater extent, this is most often used for households, and then for farms, but in general, much depends on the preferences of the gardener himself, which is exactly what is best to focus on.

If we talk about a farm, then there manure is collected in a slightly different way: for this, the animal's waste is collected by the gardener or farmer in a separate container under the floor, and then discharged into sedimentation tanks. Further, it is in these sedimentation tanks that the substance wanders, saturated with more and more useful and important substances. This substance has its name - slurry, it is very useful, it can be used in farms and orchards, as well as in fields and gardens where industrial cultivation of any crops is carried out.

There are animals that graze in the pasture and give manure without bedding. It does not have such a high moisture content, and this manure is considered more economical in comparison with the very first type. The problem is collecting it from the site - it usually takes gardeners a lot of time to do this, and this is a rather big problem. Also, a lot of your own physical energy can be spent on collection, so you should be very careful when choosing to collect manure.

Benefits, is goat dung good for you?

Of course, goat and sheep dung have their own benefits. Gardeners' reviews of goat manure indicate that this fertilizer is applied in small quantities. The benefits of goat dung are even greater than that of the popular mullein, and this has been proven in practice. Usually, about five full buckets of mullein are required for one hundred square meters. Goat manure in this regard is much more economical - it takes about two buckets per one hundred square meters of land. The difference, as we can see, is obvious.

Goat manure: application in the garden

Since goats eat only plant components, the reaction from the droppings is very alkaline. Goat dung has a high content of carbonates, which can be absorbed very quickly in the plant, supplying it with all the necessary useful components, trace elements and macronutrients for growth and development. If goat manure is introduced in the spring along with feeding, then the culture throughout the summer will receive the most necessary substances that will positively affect the growth of the culture and its fruiting. The bacteria contained in the soil can process organic matter very quickly, and therefore the soil is enriched with various substances much faster and more efficiently. In addition, substances can accumulate in optimal quantities, so the gardener may not be particularly worried about the frequency of fertilizing, since sometimes a single spring fertilization is enough for the crop to receive all the necessary substances.

If we talk about intensive farming on an industrial scale, then pure products that will be safe for the human body can be obtained precisely thanks to organic fertilizers.In addition, it will also be possible to add some minerals to them, as a result of which the gardener will receive an artificially created complex fertilizer that will be absorbed by plants by about 85-90%, which is an ideal indicator. Compared to conventional mineral fertilizers, they are only absorbed by 30%, and the rest can accumulate, which is largely not considered.

The use of goat manure is possible in various states - both in liquid and dry forms. It all depends solely on how long the waste was in the pit or in the pile. If the manure is half-melted, then it will ripen for several more months to reach its most effective state. Rotted manure can be obtained about nine to twelve months after it has been collected. It is also recommended for the gardener to water the pile or pile with water so that the necessary level of moisture is maintained in the manure.

Fermentation of manure depends solely on how much moisture will enter the substance. Usually, in dry form, substances in manure can slow down their activity, and the amount of nutrients can generally be reduced by about half. This is especially true for nitrogen, as it evaporates very easily. If the manure is stored outdoors, and the grower does not cover it, then it will remain an organic additive, but its nutritional value may disappear altogether.

A completely decomposed substance is called humus. It has no litter and is very dry and yet very light. The volume and weight of the substance can then decrease by about 60-70%. But at the same time, not every gardener manages to bring manure to such a state, although it is believed that humus is the most valuable additive to the soil, which, moreover, is also completely safe for plants. It is much faster able to be digested by microorganisms, and also attracts earthworms to the site, in the body of which a certain amount of substances is also produced. The humus contains the smallest amount of nitrogen. At the same time, substances such as potassium and phosphorus are not lost at all, so if the gardener introduces humus in the spring, then it is recommended to additionally feed the plant and soil with nitrogen fertilizers.

For which crops is it better to use goat manure as fertilizer

Many gardeners are interested in which plants respond most positively to manure, which ones love this organic component most. Note that almost all plants perfectly withstand the introduction of organic matter, especially one that is rich in nitrogen. The exception is the group of conifers, as well as shrubs, which are perfectly fed with nitrogen from the air. Therefore, it should be noted that goat manure can be suitable for absolutely any garden and horticultural crops, the main thing is to make the application in accordance with the norms, adhering to the schedule.

For abundant flowering, berry crops simply need components such as phosphorus and potassium. They are found in huge quantities in the droppings, therefore, after organic feeding with goat manure, the fruits are perfectly tied, and in general, fruiting only intensifies. Potassium is also responsible for absorbing sugar in the plant, which is why the fruit becomes so sweet and juicy. If the gardener wants to be sure that he is applying organic fertilizers correctly, then it is best to close up the droppings in the autumn, when there is no crop in the garden, and it is completely free to introduce components. The droppings should be evenly distributed over the entire area, and then this area is intensively and thoroughly dug up, the ground should be well loosened.

How to breed goat dung

In the spring, gardeners can throw droppings over snow that has not yet melted.Fresh droppings contain a huge amount of ammonia, so before the snow completely melts, the excess ammonia will have time to evaporate, and all the nutrients will be in the ground along with the melt water. This method does not require a large amount of effort and time from the gardener, but at the same time it is effective.

You can also prepare a goat dung based slurry. To do this, a plastic barrel is poured to the brim with water, filled with about a quarter of either dry or fresh goat droppings. The solution should be infused for a week, and when it begins to ferment, this solution can be mixed with water and watered under the root of the plant, mainly carrying out this process in the spring.

Litter storage

There are also a few questions about how to store goat dung. One of the simplest ways is that the droppings can be collected in a container and covered with plastic wrap on top. Also, the gardener can use tightly knit wood boxes so that excess air does not enter the droppings. If this happens, the combustion process will begin, and all the nutrients will simply go away. Thus, in general, there is no specific guidance for this process.

So, answering the question whether it is possible to use goat manure - we will answer unequivocally - “Yes!”. Goat dung is very effective for further feeding with organic substances, it differs in that it contains all the necessary nutrients, which will further enrich the crops perfectly. As a result, we get a completely safe fertilizer that can replace a large amount of mineral mixtures and chemical additives, without which some gardeners cannot imagine the process of gardening.

Goat manure as fertilizer