Stable or cowshed manure is obtained from the solid and liquid excrement of stabled animals, mixed with various other types of materials that comprise the bedding and after fermentation which has occurred to a greater or lesser extent.
It is definitely still one of the most commonly used organic fertilisers, both because it is produced in high quantities in farms (where there are stables) and because it undoubtedly possesses high commercial value. It is a material with a more or less heterogenous consistency, of fluctuating composition with variable qualities in accordance with the type and quantity of bedding, the type of animal that produced it, the production techniques, the storage and the level of fermentation. Benefits provided to fields by this type of material include an increase in the organic matter in the soil and an improvement in the soil structure, with a greater capacity to retain water. The manure should be buried in order to avoid wasting many of its advantages. There are promising results when it is used with biochar.
