Methods of Turning Livestock Manure into Treasure

In the past, rural conditions were not as good as they are today, and agricultural techniques were much less advanced. To make crops grow well and yield more, farmers commonly used livestock manure directly on the fields as fertilizer, which was the most common method of fertilization at that time.

However, the practice of directly applying livestock manure to fields, which has been used for many years, has significant harmful effects and has now been explicitly banned by the government. So, what are the dangers of directly applying livestock manure to fields?

Direct Application of Manure: Great Harm First, modern large-scale farming is very different from traditional ecological farming. Livestock today is often fed commercial feeds, antibiotics, and feed additives. When animal manure is discharged, if not properly treated and directly applied to the fields, it not only harms the soil environment but also poses a risk to crop safety and human health. The saying "disease enters through the mouth" is not to be taken lightly!

Similarly, livestock manure often contains excessive heavy metals, which is another major hazard. When manure containing high levels of heavy metals is applied to farmland for long periods, it can lead to soil contamination. These heavy metals accumulate and transform in the soil-water-plant system, and ultimately, they can enter the food chain, posing a threat to human health.

Furthermore, fresh manure contains parasite eggs, especially chicken manure, which is highly likely to breed root knot nematodes. Studies show that nematode eggs in fresh chicken manure hatch easily, with their numbers multiplying by tens of thousands overnight. The incidence of nematodes in soil with chicken manure is the highest.

Finally, fresh manure applied directly to the soil can cause "burning" of seedlings and roots. When the temperature reaches a certain level during secondary fermentation in the soil, you can feel the soil is warmer if you insert your hand into it. This is due to the heat released during the fermentation of fresh manure, which can result in root and seedling damage.

Therefore, it is recommended not to buy or use manure directly from large-scale farms just because it is cheap or convenient. Manure should always undergo harmless treatment before use. For farm operators, even if they have planting projects of their own to digest the manure, they should not use it directly.