Why is it safe to use cow or horse manure for a fertilizer base?

Question

I've done this myself with no problems, but a lot of the recent e-coli outbreaks are being blamed for cows deficating in the irrigation supply. This doesn't make sense to me. How can it be both ways?

Answer 1

yes, Cow manuer and Horse manuer are very good sources of fertilizer. However, very rarely will you ever see a bag of FRESH manuer. No, Most of the Manuers are composted for a very long time. this is alot different than aing a cow pasture planted with tomatoes or cabbage and having the Cows take a poop on them. Number wot, the soil is absorbent to thes manuers and they won be i direct contact with the food source. I dont see why this would be a problem. if you have any questions, why not Visit this website www.cdc.gov

Answer 2

THe only place that the e-coli strain that affects iss from grain feed bovines at a staughter house that have been feed nothing but drain for 2 weeks, This manure is spread in a mature garden, Manure in contact with a lettuce leaf, harvested and eaten with out washing can cause ecoili

NOTE 3 conditions must be met to pass ecoli


#1 a very old rule of thumb, never apply fresh manure after the seeds have sprouted
#2 Do not use manure from a slaughter house
#3 Wash your veggies before eating


Just a little tiny friging chunk of common sense

Horse Manure

Yes there is a disease that can be passed from horses to
humans To do it, you must eat some fresh horses-it right after the horse drops it. When the manure cools off the bacteria dies

Simple rule of thumb; Don't eat hot horse sh-t

A little tiny bit of common sense in the garden PLEASE

Answer 3

The answer is that you cannot use manure too soon before harvest -- 120 days according the USDA. So the recent outbreaks occured because the manure was applied to plants soon to be harvested food or rain water runnoff carried E. coli onto the soon to be harvested food.

For more details see

http://www.ota.com/organic/foodsafety/ecoli.html

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What is the connection between E. coli and manure use in farming?


Conventional and organic agriculture both use manure as a part of regular farm soil fertilization programs. Certified organic farmers, however, must maintain a farm plan detailing the methods used to build soil fertility, including the application of manure, as mandated by the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 and the National Organic Program (NOP) rule of December 2000. According to the latter, raw animal manure must be composted if it is to be applied to land used for a crop intended for human consumption, unless it is applied to the land at least 120 days prior to harvest if the edible part crops come in contact with soil, and at least 90 days prior to harvest of edible parts that do not come into contact with soil. OFPA further recommends a longer period if soil or other conditions warrant. No other agricultural regulation in the United States imposes such strict control on the use of manure.

Answer 4

The fertilizer you use, is usually referred to as 'well rotted' this means that it has been out in the open and exposed to sunshine, and fresh air, both of which are germicides. When used in the soil as a growing medium, the soil bacteria also break down anything harmful. The e-coli in fresh manure is still viable, and when it is on fresh growing surface foodstuffs, can be harmful. We all carry this, and when in it's proper place, is ok, but is not for others consumption. Best wishes

Answer 5

most manure is put in the soil before we plant crops and allowed to rot in as it would do in nature the process breaks down bacterias and such over time naturally and then we have to wash the produce thouroghly when we harvest and eat it of course.

The problem with cows defecating near irrigation supplies and in harvest ready field is that the bacteria does not get to break down over time as it would in nature. Also it has been suggested that feeding practices in cattle production are causing the cattle to be less able to break down some bacterias before they release them. Some say feeding in tight, close quarters and feeding too much grain in particular corn gives them acidosis preventing many of the natural digestion safegaurds that are built in from mother nature.

Answer 6

I dont know as far as horses.. But with cows, they contain ecoli in the last part of the digestive track. They're currently testing a vaccine to stop this problem. It may have more to do with the type of crop you're growing and what not. In the California cases.. It was direct cow to plant contamination. .It was actually carried across via pigs.. So perhaps that has something to do with it.

Answer 7

Where do ALL live things, in Nature, pass their waste? I believe the correct answer to be, In their habitat - The Woods/Jungles/Streams/Rivers where ever they exists!

So now, the Human, the creatures that are for ever, trying to stick their finger into Natures pot, dares to raise the issue, where or should, one of natures creature do natures business?

How blatantly, we over look the fact that Humans are not required to support any thing in Nature! Actually, humans have no place in Nature! Nature creates/supports only what Nature needs/requires. Remove any thing in nature and that removal directly effects the survival or existence of something else!

The waste of every entity in nature supports the existence/well being of something else! Humans have no part in this!

The real question becomes, since nature has no requirement for humans, making humans to have no reason for being here, then why are humans here? For what reason do they come to earth. stay such a short time, provide no positive effect on any thing in nature, serve no reason/function, WHY even come here?

The cows dung? It belongs to nature, leave it alone. Your being here, where you are not needed or wanted is a more pressing issue?

Too, before you try to use it, what humans do for humans is not justification for being here!

Especial since all humans do is mess up nature, you know, Lets Stop The Cows From Crapping!

Answer 8

Cows and horses are herbivores. Waste from a carnivore is toxic to humans because of the types of bacterium. Unfortunately, sometimes animal protein gets into some feed and that makes them unwittingly a carnivore. All the cases of e.coli are from animals that have eaten animals. Best to know your source of poop.

Answer 9

Maybe infected cows? Both types are good for your garden.
Millions around the world have no problems since the time of Adam and Eve.

Answer 10

Because most of the time, horses and moo-moos as my niece calls them... eat a well balanced diet containing a lot of vitamins and supplements needed to have a healthy digestive system. Therefore what goes in, comes out just fine.