manure, organic material that is used to fertilize land, usually consisting of the feces and urine of domestic livestock, with or without accompanying litter such as straw, hay, or bedding. Farm animals void most of the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that is present in the food they eat, and this constitutes an enormous fertility resource. In some countries, human excrement is also used. Livestock manure is less rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash than synthetic fertilizers and hence must be applied in much greater quantities than the latter. A ton of manure from cattle, hogs, or horses usually contains only 10 pounds of nitrogen, 5 pounds of phosphorus pentoxide, and 10 pounds of potash. But manure is rich in organic matter, or humus, and thus improves the soil’s capacity to absorb and store water, thus preventing erosion. Much of the potassium and nitrogen in manure can be lost through leaching if the material is exposed to rainfall before being applied to the field. These nutrient losses may be prevented by such methods as stacking manure under cover or in pits to prevent leaching, spreading it on fields as soon as it is feasible, and spreading preservative materials in the stable. A green manure is a cover crop of some kind, such as rye, that is plowed under while still green to add fertility and conditioning to the soil.
The use of manure as fertilizer dates to the beginnings of agriculture. On modern farms manure is usually applied with a manure spreader, a four-wheeled self-propelled or two-wheeled tractor-drawn wagon. As the spreader moves, a drag-chain conveyor located at the bottom of the box sweeps the manure to the rear, where it is successively shredded by a pair of beaters before being spread by rotating spiral fins. Home gardeners like to use well-rotted manure, since it is less odorous, more easily spread, and less likely to “burn” plants. See also fertilizer.