Spreading manure at the farm

 

Spreading horse manure is a great way to reduce waste, get back to nature, and naturally fertilize your grazing areas. No brainer, right?  Not so fast. There are a few things to consider here, and I’ll start with the big one – worms. Not earthworms, but horse parasites.  

 

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barely visible compost after spreading

The manure you spread is chopped up by some spreading machines, and doesn’t take long to integrate with the soil.

 

Most of us are vaguely aware that intestinal parasites are transmitted from horse to horse via manure.

 

  • Most of us (me included) are vaguely aware of fecal egg counts and a deworming schedule. So I’ll add a few commonly misunderstood points here. The fecal egg count is not the “end all and be all” of worm control. There are several different tests, not all fecal tests are designed for all worms.

 

  • Fecal egg counts also must be conducted at the correct time in the life cycle of the specific worms you are testing for. Also, some worms (like pinworms) will never appear on a fecal egg count as their eggs are not passed in manure. Ideally, you are doing fecal egg counts in the spring and the fall.

 

  • A regular worming schedule designed by your veterinarian for your specific herd and your climate/region is a great idea. The entire farm’s worm load status needs to be monitored. It does no good to anyone if the low-shedding horses are wormed regularly and the high-shedding horses are not.

 

Spread compost that has “cooked” hot enough to kill parasite eggs to reduce supporting parasite life.

 

manure spreader putting compost on the fields

Poop wagon.

 

What do deworming and fecal egg counts do with spreading horse manure?

 

  • Well, many farms spread horse manure on pastures to be a bit more “green” and to harness the natural fertilization powers of poop. And many farms avoid this practice because they fear they will “contaminate” the fields. Which can be avoided with some simple practices, as outlined below.

 

  • Plan your spreading. Avoid rainy times, frozen earth times, and only spread in thin layers. Rain can cause runoff and can create an ideal environment for parasites if there are any.

 

  • You can do this with tractor/utility vehicle tow behinds quite easily. These tag-along spreaders also chop the snot out of the manure, so it easily spreads thinly and decomposes into the earth easily. Or you can manually chop up and spread for an extra calorie-burning bonus.

 

  • Spread your horse manure on pastures that are resting (for a few weeks at least) or used by animals other than horses.

 

  • Avoid spreading near water sources (wells, streams, run-off areas, etc.).

 

  • If you are also spreading shavings or wood by-products from the stalls, be aware that this will take precious nitrogen from the soil, defeating the whole purpose. You will need to add nitrogen fertilizer, or you can use composted wood and horse manure.

 

  • Your local agriculture extension service also has many resources to help you with any soil questions. This is also a great resource to tap into if you need help with seeding and figuring out your soil and what will grow quickly.

 

 

manure spreader in the back

This is where the magic happens – in the back of the spreader!

 

I also chatted with the great folks over at Millcreek Spreaders, who added a few thoughts of their own:

Many people believe “don’t spread fresh manure on actively-grazed pastures,” but we actually have many clients who do just that. It is not a problem if you are diligent about worming and/or if you have a closed herd. Yes, rotating pastures is best but you can do it where horses are grazing as long as you’re smart about it.

 

We strongly urge everyone to check for any local regulations regarding manure spreading before they start doing it. You don’t want to dump loads of manure somewhere only to have the environmental inspection folks turn up and tell you you’re not allowed to do it. In our own state of PA, there are very strict regulations regarding setbacks from “sensitive areas” and paperwork must be filed with the environmental regulatory folks.

 

Spreading composted manure absolutely can’t be beaten for best fertilization. People also need to use caution and check regulations for manure storage before doing it, especially regarding run-off. They also need to make sure it’s done properly to avoid potential problems, including combustion (really bad) or not actually killing the worms or causing a nutrient breakdown.

 

picking up manure in a pasture

Pick the paddocks, and let the spreader mix everything up.

 

It’s not a great idea for fresh manure piles to remain in the paddocks. (UGH)

 

  • Horses typically avoid grazing around them, so you end up with tall patches that are ungrazed and bare patches that are overgrazed. Not to mention the new fly breeding micro-farm that will pop up in each poop pile. The tall patches are also wonderful gathering places for ticks – and let’s be honest, no one likes ticks.

 

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Stock up here for your horse supplies! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, but it’s ZERO extra cents to you.  You can also visit my Amazon storefront here:  PEG storefront.

02/14/2025 01:04 pm GMT
Compost Spreader, Height Adjustable Handle
$99.99 $88.79

Push the poop around! It's great fertilizer!

02/14/2025 01:23 pm GMT
Country Manufacturing Model 600 Tow Behind Manure Spreader
$1,999.00

When you need to get rid of the barn gossip, and pronto.

02/13/2025 03:43 pm GMT

 

 

Thank you!

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