Why do many farmers use cow manure to fertilize their crops?

Answer 1

Unlike chemical fertilizers, manure is natural and sustainable. Manure is part of the natural environmental design, and it does an excellent job of putting nutrients back into the soil. For farmers that have cows, it has the obvious advantage of being free. But even farmers who do not have their own cows often use manure because of its many advantages.

Answer 2

It's all natural and biodegradable and there are many minerals and other nutrient's left over after the cow has digested what they need. Perfect answer to a smelly problem. Farmers also use chicken litter to fertilize, it's stinkier but very effective. When we were farming we mostly used chicken litter and it would invariably rain either that day or the next. The smell was atrocious and would stay in the air for a week. Whew!

Answer 3

Cow patties?

cow manure is a nutrient for the soil

cow manure is "free" for the farmers

cow manure is produced right there and doesn't have to be shipped in

if they didn't use it on the soil, what would they do with it?

cow manure's a "good thing"

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Answer 4

It is a natural fertilizer -- less polluting than chemical fertilizers, it does not have to be mined from the ground (nor transported from far away) like chemical fertilizers so it uses less energy to produce, and cows make it anyway - so you have to do something with the cow poo.

Answer 5

because the cows make it for free, and it adds organic matter to the soil.

Answer 6

because it is effective and since most farmers have that on hand it is free

Answer 7

- low or negligible cost
- provides nutrients
- does not pollute the environment
- more advantages over chemical fertilisers

Answer 8

good for plants - lots of minerals