robertwhite
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- Nov 28, 2010
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Let's talk manure for a minute, please.
As I have said, I am very new to the cattle scene, have just a few (4 for now) cows and have an odd (I think) question.
I clean the manure out of my barn and around the hay ring every morning. What I typically get is a large wheelbarrow full of manure. Now, mind you, my cows do not produce cow pies, they produce solid waste matter as they are well taken care of and the waste is basically fiber waste.
Problem is that by the springtime, I will have amassed a VERY large pie of manure which is way more than I need for a garden. Now I know that I can get a manure spreader, which I'm guessing will chop it up fine and spread it like a broadcast seeder of sorts. BUT.......... after this is done, can the cows be put into that particular pasture to graze? If so, can they be put out right away, or do I have to wait until a certain period of time passes to allow for further breakdown of the waste?
Will the cows even want to graze there? After all, they won't eat hay they have trampled, peed or crapped on.
Also, what about the waste in the fields that accumulates throughout the winter? (and year round for that matter) Do I just let it set there or does it need to be dragged over and broken up?
As I said, they might be dumb questions to some of you, but I really have a couple of incredible looking cattle and don't want to jeapordize the future of the herd in any way by doing something wrong.
Thanks for bearing with me.
As I have said, I am very new to the cattle scene, have just a few (4 for now) cows and have an odd (I think) question.
I clean the manure out of my barn and around the hay ring every morning. What I typically get is a large wheelbarrow full of manure. Now, mind you, my cows do not produce cow pies, they produce solid waste matter as they are well taken care of and the waste is basically fiber waste.
Problem is that by the springtime, I will have amassed a VERY large pie of manure which is way more than I need for a garden. Now I know that I can get a manure spreader, which I'm guessing will chop it up fine and spread it like a broadcast seeder of sorts. BUT.......... after this is done, can the cows be put into that particular pasture to graze? If so, can they be put out right away, or do I have to wait until a certain period of time passes to allow for further breakdown of the waste?
Will the cows even want to graze there? After all, they won't eat hay they have trampled, peed or crapped on.
Also, what about the waste in the fields that accumulates throughout the winter? (and year round for that matter) Do I just let it set there or does it need to be dragged over and broken up?
As I said, they might be dumb questions to some of you, but I really have a couple of incredible looking cattle and don't want to jeapordize the future of the herd in any way by doing something wrong.
Thanks for bearing with me.