CHAPTER XIV. 



HANDLING FARM MANURE:. 



Value of Manure Per Cow. The value of the 

 manure from a cow depends primarily upon the char- 

 acter of the feed supplied her. Feeds rich in fertilizing 

 constituents will produce manure correspondingly rich 

 in them. On an average 75% of the fertilizing con- 

 stituents in feeds are recovered in the manure. The 

 Cornell station finds that the value of the manure from 

 cows averaging 1000 pounds live weight, is $29.27 per 

 cow per year. This may be regarded as a very fail- 

 average. 



Relative Value of Liquid and Solid Manure. The 

 urine, as a rule, is much richer in fertilizing constituents 

 than the dung. It contains more than half the nitrogen 

 and nearly all of the potash voided by the animal. Prac- 

 tically all of the phosphoric acid, however, is found in 

 the solid excreta. The fact that the larger portion of 

 the fertilizing constituents is found in the urine, empha- 

 sizes the importance of carefully saving all this portion 

 of the voidings. 



How to Save the Urine. To save all of the liquid 

 manure, it is necessary, in the first place, to have water- 

 tight gutters and floors. Nothing is better in this respect 

 than concrete. , 



The next requirement is a sufficient amount of clean, 

 porous bedding to absorb all of the liquid. Straw, 

 especially if cut up somewhat, makes excellent bedding 



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