688 



The nitrogen in farmyard manure is not halt" so valuable as the 

 nitrogen in ammonia sulphate, as it is so very slowly available. Its 

 composition varies greatly from several causes. The food used, 

 the class of animal, the age of the animals from which it was 

 obtained, the treatment of the animal, the amount of litter used, 

 and the method employed in making it, all act on it so as to alter 

 its composition. 



SOLID EXCRKTA. 



The value of the solid excreta of animals as a manure 

 depends on the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash it con- 

 tains, and these depend on various circumstances. The excreta 

 from horses, cows, sheep and pigs differ from each other in com- 

 position and physical properties. Solid excreta is composed of the 

 undigested food, therefore the class of food taken has the greatest 

 influence on the composition of the excreta. If an animal feeds on a 

 poor diet, the excreta will also be poor. As alreaclv stated, the 

 class, age, condition and treatment of the animal will alter it. 

 Young animals use more nitrogen and mineral matter for their 

 growth than adults. Cows in calf, or giving milk, will use more 

 nitrogen than dry animals. A horse in the stall assimilates more of 

 its food than when at work. Under these conditions less nitrogen 

 and potash will pass off in the dung and more in the urine. 



As the composition of the solid excreta varies under so many 

 conditions any analysis will only represent that individual sample. 

 By taking the average of a large number of analyses we can get in 

 close proximity to its composition. 



The following analyses will give some idea of the composition 

 of solid excreta : 



PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF FARMYARD MANTRK. 



Stoeckhardt found the following percentages of nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid and alkalies in the fresh solid excreta of hordes. 

 cows, pigs, and sheep : 



