178 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



It decomposes slowly and develops little 

 heat." 



Fermentation of manure — Both solid 

 and liquid excrement undergo rapid 

 changes from the time they are voided 

 and the chief concern of the farmer is 

 how he may prevent losses of valuable 

 constituents before these manures are 

 returned to the soil. If the manure 

 can be hauled directly from the stable 

 to the field as rapidly as made, or at 

 very short intervals, there will be but 

 little loss in fertilizing value. If, how- 

 ever, it is left in piles to accumulate for 

 six months or more, exposed to the rain, 

 sun and winds, very large losses may 

 occur from fermentation, leaching, etc. 

 Beal states that: "The fermentation 

 of manure is due to the action of minute 

 miscroscopic organisms which belong to 

 two great classes: (1) those which re- 

 quire an abundant supply of air (oxy- 

 gen) and which die when deprived of 

 oxygen — known as aerobic ferments; and 

 (2) those which grow without oxygen 

 and die when exposed to it — known as 

 anaerobic ferments. 



"The decomposition observed in the 

 manure heap is due, as a rule, to the com- 

 bined action of these two classes of fer- 

 ments. On the outer surface of the 

 heap, where the air circulates freely, the 

 first class (aerobic) is active, while in 

 the interior of the heap, where the supply 

 of air is limited, the fermentation is due 

 to the anaerobic ferments. The latter 

 soon run their course and cease to exist. 

 Their function seems to be principally to 

 break up the more complex substances of 

 the manure and prepare them for the 

 further action of the aerobic ferments, 

 which finally convert them into simpler 

 compounds, such as water, carbon dioxide 

 and marsh gas. 



"Where the manure is compacted (as 

 in deep stalls, for instance), the carbon 

 dioxide formed by fermentation soon per- 

 meates the mass so completely as to ex- 

 clude the air entirely, thus arresting fer- 

 mentation. In loose heaps into which 

 air is freely admitted, fermentation of 

 the aerobic form may go on indefinitely. 

 "The fermentations of manure are 

 very complex and vary according to cir- 

 cumstances. The principal conditions 

 affecting these processes are: (1) tem- 

 perature; (2) supply of air as deter- 

 mined by compactness of heap ; (3) mois- 

 ture ; (4) the composition of the manure, 

 and (5) the nature of the preservatives 

 added. 



"The higher the temperature the more 

 rapidly will manure decay. In aerobic 

 fermentation of manure the temperature 

 may rise to 122° to 140°, or even 158° F. 

 On the other hand, in the interior of the 

 heap, where anaerobic fermentation is in 

 progress, the temperature rarely rises 

 above 95° F. Experiments have indi- 

 cated that 131° F. is the most favorable 

 temperature for manure fermentations." 

 It is thus seen that the successful rot- 

 ting of manure is dependent upon the 

 proper regulation of the two kinds of 

 fermentation necessary. In loosely 

 packed heaps fermentation may be too 

 rapid and the temperature may rise so 

 high as to burn the strawy portion pro- 

 ducing what is known as fire-fanging. 

 This must be avoided because the bene- 

 ficial effect of barnyard manure lies not 

 only in the fertilizing elements it con- 

 tains, but also in the ameliorating influ- 

 ence of the humus in it. 



How to check injurious fermentation 

 in manure piles_One of the chief means 

 used in checking rapid fermentation is 

 by increasing the moisture supply of the 

 heap. This drives out the air and pre- 

 vents the rapid multiplication of the 

 aerobic fermentation. Horse and sheep 

 manures are especially dry and require 

 moistening oftener than other manures. 

 In the best European practice, a pit is 

 dug beside the manure pile into which 

 the leachings are drained. These are 

 pumped regularly over the manure to 

 keep it at a uniform degree of moisture, 

 and when the leachings are not sufficient 

 for this purpose, water is used. The 

 manure pile is kept in a close, compact 

 heap and the fresh manure from the sta- 

 bles placed on top. If the liquid is stored 

 separately in tanks, it undergoes rapid 

 fermentation and deterioration and the 

 solid excrement requires much more 

 attention to prevent fire-fanging than 

 when the liquid portion is mixed with it. 

 In addition to this, the liquid portion by 

 itself requires special tanks or cisterns. 

 Everything considered, the best results 

 will be obtained by the use of water-titj'ht 

 stall floors and gutters and the use of 

 sufficient bedding to absorb the liquid 

 portion of the manure. 



In properly fermented manure, the 

 coarse materials are gradually decom- 

 posed and the bulk greatly decreases. 

 It is easily handled and readily mixes 

 with the soil and its plant food is readily 

 available for the production of crops. 



