Managing Horse Manure

Did you know that one 1,000 lb. horse can produce about 10 tons of manure each year?  With that much manure being produced by each horse it is important to have a manure management plan.  Manure is an excellent nutrient resource for soils and considered valuable to farmers and garden owners.  Each pound of fresh manure contains about 0.2 lbs. of nitrogen, 0.03 pounds of phosphorous, 0.06 pounds of potassium.  If stored and handled properly, horse manure can easily be used as fertilizer on pastures, gardens, lawns, etc.

PC: eXtension.org

A comprehensive horse manure management plan includes the following:

·         Estimated yearly animal manure production

·         Estimated yearly nutrient production

·         Plans for collecting, handling, and storing

·         Emergency action plan that deals with accidental manure spills or other environmental emergencies

·         If you plan to apply manure to land, please also include the following:

o   Estimated yearly crop nutrient use potential

o   Rotating crops

o   Available land for application throughout the year

Manure storage is a critical piece of a manure management plan.  The type of storage facility will vary depending on the number of horses, manure end use, and available equipment.    Barns with less than 15 horses or that often pasture horses may want to consider small, temporary bins or wire continuous bins.  Barns with 15 or more horses will want to consider a larger, more permanent facility that you can access with larger equipment.  Prior to construction, contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) or USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office to assist you with designing and building a storage site or facility.

Wooden bins for holding manure.

PC: UMN Extension

For more information please click here: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-care-and-management/managing-and-composting-horse-manure