Horse Manure vs Cow Manure: Which Makes the Best Fertilizer?

As gardeners and farmers, we’re always looking for ways to naturally boost soil health and fertility. Two of the most readily available organic fertilizers are horse manure and cow manure. But which is better for your garden or fields – horse poop or cow dung? Let’s dive into the pros and cons of using each.

Key Differences Between Horse and Cow Manure

While horse manure and cow manure share some similarities in their nutrient composition, there are a few key differences that can impact their performance as fertilizers:

• Nutrient Content: Horse manure tends to be higher in nitrogen and other nutrients than cow manure. On a dry weight basis, horse manure contains 0.7% nitrogen compared to 0.6% in cow manure. The phosphorus content is similar at 0.3-0.4%, but horse manure has slightly higher potash at 0.6% vs 0.5% for cow manure.

• Moisture Content Fresh cow manure contains a lot more moisture than horse manure. Cow patties are very wet and sloppy, while horse manure comes out in more solid clumps. When dried horse manure can contain up to twice as much nitrogen due to its lower water content.

• Seeding: Horse manure is more likely to contain viable weed seeds that can sprout and populate your garden. Cow manure tends to have fewer weed seeds since much of what a cow eats is already harvested grain or hay.

• Availability: There are far more cows raised than horses, so cow manure is readily available from dairy farms, cattle feedlots, and other agricultural sources. Horse manure can be harder to source unless you live near stables or racetracks.

Now let’s look at the benefits and drawbacks of using each type of manure in more detail.

Using Horse Manure as Fertilizer

Many organic gardeners swear by the fertilizing power of horse manure but is it really better than cow manure? Here are some of the pros and cons

Pros

• Higher nitrogen content – the extra nitrogen gives plants a growth boost and deep green foliage.

• Low moisture content makes it easier to apply and incorporate into soil.

• Contains more nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium versus cow manure.

• Has good aeration and drainage properties that improve heavy or compacted soils.

• Is readily available if you live near stables, racetracks, or paddocks.

Cons

• Must be composted before using to kill pathogens, weed seeds, and fly larvae.

• Can make soil too alkaline if applied in excessive amounts.

• Has a strong ammonia smell when fresh.

• May contain antimicrobials or other medications given to horses.

• Can be difficult to obtain in bulk if you don’t have local sources.

The bottom line is horse manure can give your plants and soil an extra nutritional kick, but it needs proper composting before using. Test your soil pH regularly as horse manure can slowly raise pH over time.

Using Cow Manure as Fertilizer

Turning now to cow manure, how does it compare for enriching garden beds and farm fields? Here are the main upsides and downsides:

Pros

• Widely available from dairies, cattle farms, and feedlots.

• Has less viable weed seeds than horse manure in most cases.

• Adds valuable organic matter to improve soil structure.

• Contains a good balance of main nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium.

• Can be applied fresh or aged without extensive composting.

• Typically has slightly higher micronutrient levels versus horse manure.

Cons

• Lower nitrogen content than horse manure provides less of a growth boost.

• Very wet and messy to handle when fresh.

• Can burn plants if applied fresh in excessive amounts.

• May contain traces of antibiotics or other cattle medications.

• The high moisture content makes it heavy to transport and spread.

Though lower in nitrogen, cow manure still supplies a balanced dose of essential nutrients. It’s more user-friendly to apply fresh off the farm, but should be aged or composted for several months when possible.

Composting Manure Before Use

Whether using horse manure or cow manure, it’s generally best practice to compost the manure first before spreading in your garden or fields. Here’s why:

• Kills any weed seeds, pathogens, or insect larvae in fresh manure.

• Allows the manure time to break down and release its nutrients.

• Reduces the risk of burning plants with “hot” fresh manure.

• Makes the manure easier and more pleasant to handle.

• Gives you mature, stabilized compost to spread whenever needed.

A proper manure compost pile should reach sustained high temperatures of 130-150°F to kill pathogens and weed seeds. Turning or mixing the pile periodically will help distribute oxygen and moisture. In 3-12 months, you’ll have an excellent finished compost for fertilizing!

Best Uses for Each Type of Manure

When deciding between using horse manure versus cow manure, consider these general guidelines:

• Horse manure is great for boosting nitrogen and nutrients in vegetable gardens, flower beds, and around fruit trees or berries. Blend with carbon sources like straw or leaves.

• Cow manure works well spread over pastures, hay fields, cover crops, and field crops like corn or grains. Mix with bedding materials if available.

• Aged or composted manure of either type can be used on all gardens, lawns, and farm fields as a general soil amendment and conditioner.

• Fresh manure should only be used on non-food crops like trees, shrubs, flowers. Compost any fresh manure first before using around edibles.

How to Compost Manure Efficiently

Composting manure allows the organic matter and nutrients to break down into forms that plants can readily use. Follow these tips for fast, effective manure composting:

• Choose a dry, shaded site so the compost doesn’t get waterlogged.

• Mix in high-carbon bulking agents like straw, leaves, sawdust, or shredded paper to balance the nitrogen.

• Aerate the pile by turning or mixing every 7-14 days to distribute air.

• Monitor moisture and add water if needed to keep the pile damp but not soaked.

• Allow at least 3 months for horse manure to fully compost, or 1-2 months for cow manure.

• Turn the finished compost into soil to avoid any nutrient loss or drying out.

With the right conditions and active management, you can produce quality compost from manure in just a couple months!

Applying Manure Fertilizer Safely

When using raw, fresh manure, follow these guidelines to avoid issues:

• Don’t overload small garden spaces with excessive amounts of manure as this can burn plants.

• Avoid using fresh manure around crops that directly contact the soil like lettuce, carrots, radishes, etc.

• Only use aged or composted manure directly on vegetable crops you will eat.

• Wash all produce thoroughly before eating if grown in areas fertilized with manure compost.

• Wear gloves and wash hands after working with fresh manure to prevent infectious diseases.

• Don’t apply manure immediately before heavy rains that could wash nutrients into waterways causing pollution.

With some common sense precautions, manure fertilizer can be safely used to boost soil health and plant growth while protecting the environment.

Obtaining Local Manure Sources

If you don’t have your own livestock, scout out these local sources to get free or low-cost manure:

• Horse stables, racetracks, rodeo/fairgrounds, equine boarding facilities

• Dairy farms, cattle ranches, feedlots, slaughterhouses

• Neighbors or farmers with livestock they need to dispose of manure

• Rent a pickup truck or trailer if needed to transport bulk quantities.

• Municipal or county waste authorities may collect composted manure.

• Avoid roadside manure piles as these may contain trash or other contaminants.

Connecting with local equestrian or livestock businesses is a win-win – they need to dispose of manure and you get an excellent soil amendment! Offering to shovel and load it yourself can make manure pickup more convenient for them.

In Summary

While horse manure and cow manure have slightly different properties, both can be valuable organic fertilizers once aged or composted. Key takeaways include:

• Horse manure offers more nitrogen, cow manure provides balanced nutrients.

• Compost any fresh manure first before applying to soil.

• Use horse manure mainly for gardens, cow manure for pastures and fields.

• Obtain local free or cheap manure from stables, farms, neighbors with livestock.

• Apply manure safely using common sense precautions and best practices.

With the right sourcing and handling, manure fertilizer can be a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way to boost soil fertility and plant growth while recycling waste organics. The choice between using horse manure versus cow manure depends largely on availability and your specific fertilizing needs. Both can be valuable additions to improve the health of any garden or farm when applied properly!