Composted Manure Woes

RedOctober · 10-18-07, 19:50

I have recently only been able to obtain composted manure for use in my trays. It is the bagged stuff from Home Depot that is the last they are going to have for the rest of the year. I know it has been rained on. I just did a bleach/lime/heat pasteurization for about 12 hours in the following manner: I made a mixture of about 75% straw and 25% manure in a pillowcase and threw in a bit of dried blood for some delicious Nitrogen. I filled a five gallon paint bucket half way full with hot water. I didn’t measure the temp but it was probably close to 170 degrees. I added two tablespoons hydrated lime and ¼ cup of bleach to the water and stirred it all up good. I submerged the pillowcase and added a bit more water until it was completely covered. The lid was put on the bucket and I let this sit overnight for about 12 hours. I then removed it and placed the pillowcase on a dish rack suspended above the bucket to drain for 24 hours. When I went to use it today, it smelled like ammonia, horrible! The manure was very muddy and wet and it looked like a lot more than when I had initially mixed it in. I added a bunch of verm to try to counteract the wetness and spawned a 20” x 20” tub of this mixture with 12 quarts of spawn and mixed it well.

I’ve had problems with manure before and I think it’s the composted stuff that gives be the most trouble. When I do this with regular dehydrated manure (store bought and bagged) I don’t remember having these difficulties. The stuff just won’t colonize. Compost is supposed to contain lots of good nutrients, so it would stand to reason that composted manure would have more to offer than regular dehydrated right? Why does it smell so much of ammonia though? Next time around I’ll use much less manure, but what else can I do to be more successful? I’m pretty sure this tray is going to fail like all other times when I’ve used overly wet, ammonia laden composted manure. So what’s the trick for composted manure?

fedshtkpndrk · 10-18-07, 20:06

What type of manure was composted?

steer = high sodium

I would try and find some local equestrians :thumbsup:

If you live in a populated area check your local government zoning maps online and look for c-1, c-2 or RE (ranch estate) zoned areas. They usually have allowances for large animals in these zones.

-feds

RedOctober · 10-19-07, 14:03

pretty sure it's cow manure

chimp · 10-19-07, 14:25

I have never messed with cow or steer manure either...If you can find some Equine manure thats your best bet IMO.

alpiner · 10-22-07, 11:17

here's the skinny on manure since I live around cows and horses and where I work there are even more exotic herbivores
generally equine poo is where it's at, in particular if you're water pastuerizing due to the texture and that the horses don't digest stuff nearly as well as cows.
Cow manure does work great too it's just a little harder to work with. the key is to make sure it's well leached, the best way to do that is to pick it up from the ground that it was plopped on in the first place as long as it's outdoors and fairly dry and not fresh. no smell is key.
bagged manure is not really worth your time IMHO
I do use barn stall refuse as well for composting but it can have allot of amonias from being piss laden, this can be fixed with enough water, lime and composting.

~Hippie3 · 10-22-07, 11:23

leaching out the excess urine is essential for bagged manure

golly · 10-22-07, 13:08

The addition of the blood and straw has resarted the composting proccess imo..
That first stage produces ammonia gas as a byproduct of bacterial action..You would either have to let it finish cooking or leach it out really well..

Best way, is proly to start over though..If you must add the blood then i would wait till right b4 spawning so the myc can consume it before composting bacteria take over..
Be very sparing with the blood...

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10-18-07, 19:50	#1 (permalink)
RedOctober Mycotopiate Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 215	Composted Manure Woes I have recently only been able to obtain composted manure for use in my trays. It is the bagged stuff from Home Depot that is the last they are going to have for the rest of the year. I know it has been rained on. I just did a bleach/lime/heat pasteurization for about 12 hours in the following manner: I made a mixture of about 75% straw and 25% manure in a pillowcase and threw in a bit of dried blood for some delicious Nitrogen. I filled a five gallon paint bucket half way full with hot water. I didn’t measure the temp but it was probably close to 170 degrees. I added two tablespoons hydrated lime and ¼ cup of bleach to the water and stirred it all up good. I submerged the pillowcase and added a bit more water until it was completely covered. The lid was put on the bucket and I let this sit overnight for about 12 hours. I then removed it and placed the pillowcase on a dish rack suspended above the bucket to drain for 24 hours. When I went to use it today, it smelled like ammonia, horrible! The manure was very muddy and wet and it looked like a lot more than when I had initially mixed it in. I added a bunch of verm to try to counteract the wetness and spawned a 20” x 20” tub of this mixture with 12 quarts of spawn and mixed it well. I’ve had problems with manure before and I think it’s the composted stuff that gives be the most trouble. When I do this with regular dehydrated manure (store bought and bagged) I don’t remember having these difficulties. The stuff just won’t colonize. Compost is supposed to contain lots of good nutrients, so it would stand to reason that composted manure would have more to offer than regular dehydrated right? Why does it smell so much of ammonia though? Next time around I’ll use much less manure, but what else can I do to be more successful? I’m pretty sure this tray is going to fail like all other times when I’ve used overly wet, ammonia laden composted manure. So what’s the trick for composted manure?

10-19-07, 14:25	#4 (permalink)
chimp Space Lord Modulator Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,420	I have never messed with cow or steer manure either...If you can find some Equine manure thats your best bet IMO. __________________ Respond, Vibrate, Feedback, Resonate

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10-18-07, 20:06	#2 (permalink)
fedshtkpndrk Prodigal Son Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,088	What type of manure was composted? steer = high sodium I would try and find some local equestrians :thumbsup: If you live in a populated area check your local government zoning maps online and look for c-1, c-2 or RE (ranch estate) zoned areas. They usually have allowances for large animals in these zones. -feds

10-19-07, 14:03	#3 (permalink)
RedOctober Mycotopiate Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 215	pretty sure it's cow manure

10-22-07, 11:17	#5 (permalink)
alpiner Mycotopiate Join Date: Sep 1972 Posts: 429	here's the skinny on manure since I live around cows and horses and where I work there are even more exotic herbivores generally equine poo is where it's at, in particular if you're water pastuerizing due to the texture and that the horses don't digest stuff nearly as well as cows. Cow manure does work great too it's just a little harder to work with. the key is to make sure it's well leached, the best way to do that is to pick it up from the ground that it was plopped on in the first place as long as it's outdoors and fairly dry and not fresh. no smell is key. bagged manure is not really worth your time IMHO I do use barn stall refuse as well for composting but it can have allot of amonias from being piss laden, this can be fixed with enough water, lime and composting.

10-22-07, 11:23	#6 (permalink)
~Hippie3 DUNG DEALER Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 42,760	leaching out the excess urine is essential for bagged manure

10-22-07, 13:08	#7 (permalink)
golly modapotato Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,227	The addition of the blood and straw has resarted the composting proccess imo.. That first stage produces ammonia gas as a byproduct of bacterial action..You would either have to let it finish cooking or leach it out really well.. Best way, is proly to start over though..If you must add the blood then i would wait till right b4 spawning so the myc can consume it before composting bacteria take over.. Be very sparing with the blood...