152 SOILS AND FERTILIZERS 



The difference in composition between the manure of 

 old and of young animals is not, however, so great as 

 might appear. 



When an animal is neither gaining nor losing in 

 flesh, and is not producing milk, an equilibrium is 

 established between the nitrogen in the food supply 

 and the nitrogen in the manure. Under such condi- 

 tions practically all of the nitrogen of the food is re- 

 turned in the manure. 56 



181. Cow Manure. — A milch cow when fed a bal- 

 anced ration, will make from 60 to 70 pounds of solid 

 and liquid manure a day, of which 20 to 30 pounds are 

 liquid excrements. The solid excrements contain 

 about 6 pounds of dry matter. When a cow is fed 

 clover hay, corn fodder, and grain, about half of the 

 nitrogen of the food is in the urine, about one-fourth 

 in the milk, and the remainder in the solid excre- 

 ments. Hence, if the solid excrements only are col- 

 lected, but a quarter of the nitrogen of the food is ob- 

 tained, while if both solids and liquids are utilized 

 three-quarters of the nitrogen is secured. Cow manure 

 is extremely variable in composition, and is the most 

 bulky of any manure produced by domestic animals. 

 A well-fed cow will produce about 80 lbs. of manure 

 per day, including absorbents. 



182. Horse Manure. — Horse manure contains less 

 water than cow manure, and is of a more fibrous 

 nature, doubtless due to the horse possessing less 



