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Discussion on Manure heap - enviromental concerns
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 16, 2002 - 10:25 am:
Hello. I am concerned as to whether the manure heap that is building up nicely at the back of my stable block will cause any enviromental problems. My horses are bedded on barley straw and graze old pasture. They are fed with nuts/coarse mix and hay. The manure heap doesn't smell and after rotting for some months/years is an excellent supplement for plants etc. I live beside a river and my main concern is when the river floods, which happens about every 5 years, and takes part of the manure heap with it, will this have an adverse effect on the river and on any aquatic life in it. There is a small amount of trout there but due to an absence of limestone not very many. Also, under normal conditions, can the manure heap in any way endanger the river etc if rain carries any of its contents to it.
Any ideas would be gratefully received and acted upon where possible.
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 17, 2002 - 9:32 am:
Hello Richard,
it seems unlikely that a flooding river will have problems disposing of a relatively small amount of rotting vegetative/fecal biomass but then again there is not enough information here and I am not versed well enough in the issue to really know. But consider the hundreds of tons of rotting biomass that a flooding river comes into contact with naturally. Your manure pile is likely to be little more that a spit in typhoon.
I would be more concerned about the daily run off into a small or slow moving stream that folks were taking there drinking water from down river.
DrO
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