Cow Manure?

[wildandwoolly]

Could I pick your knowledgable brains please? A farmer neighbour has offered to put fresh cow muck (scrapings from the yard) onto our hayfield this week 'to feed it'. The field has been well grazed by a few sheep over the winter and has hay taken off it the last few years. I've heard of people using slurry (think this is diluted muck?) and farmyard manure but not sure if fresh cow muck would be ok. We haven't harrowed yet so would be harrowing in the next couple of weeks if that makes a difference. TIA for your advice.

 

[Equi]

Is he using it on his own fields or trying to dump it on you lol

 

[angel7]

I think it will depend on who eats your hay and if you intend to graze it with your horses at some point.
The land will most definately benefit from the cow muck it will add microorganisms and improve soil structure. However it will probably increase the quality level of the hay taken off it and you may not want that if you have hardy natives and laminitics to feed. You will also get a flush of grass once the muck is rained in so you would not want to graze it with animals for at least 2 months. Harrowing it will help break it up and rain in quicker.

 

[wildandwoolly]

Is he using it on his own fields or trying to dump it on you lol

Ha ha! Yes he is using it on his own fields.

 

[wildandwoolly]

I think it will depend on who eats your hay and if you intend to graze it with your horses at some point.
The land will most definately benefit from the cow muck it will add microorganisms and improve soil structure. However it will probably increase the quality level of the hay taken off it and you may not want that if you have hardy natives and laminitics to feed. You will also get a flush of grass once the muck is rained in so you would not want to graze it with animals for at least 2 months. Harrowing it will help break it up and rain in quicker.

Thank you. I plan to rest the field this year as have had hay/haylage off it for many years and think it would benefit from a rest, possibly graze with sheep a few weeks here and there to 'top it'. I have sectioned off an acre at one end which I plan to track for summer grazing together with another small adjacent paddock. After reading your advice, I have asked the farmer not to spread any muck on the sectioned off bit. Thank you for replying.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

The sheep poo should be enough fertiliser.

 

[SantaVera]

grab it with both hands, itsd brilliant stuff, your hayfield will prosper.

 

[Abby-Lou]

Do It it makes such a difference ! we do it by hand fork & wheelbarrow, so if offering snap his hand off !

 

[Quigleyandme]

As soon as spring is sprung around here I feel the tell-tale vibrations of several slurry agitators in action and farmers start spraying the pungent stuff in every direction with gay abandon. It is the best stuff for grass health so I would go for it too.