Knowing that feces contain ammonia means that your horse is producing ammonia on a consistent basis. Dr. Carissa Wickens of the University of Florida explains, “Ammonia is a colorless gas with a strong, odorous smell, produced as a byproduct of microbial decomposition of organic nitrogen compounds in manure.
Typically, horse manure doesn't give off an offensive odor. Yet, if you smell something strongly unpleasant, it might indicate a gut problem. Compared to cat or dog waste, horse dung gives off a less offensive smell. In fact, most people do not find it particularly unpleasant.
Hot water, agitation, and a bit of detergent will remove the majority of horse, manure, and ammonia smells.
Good drying conditions over the next two days can significantly reduce the release of odors. In addition, the next two evenings are the most likely time when neighbors will experience odors. Especially when applying manure without incorporating it, pay close attention to the forecast for the 36 hours after application.
The smell of your horse's manure can signal a dietary surplus, nutritional imbalance or digestive malfunction. If his droppings smell like rotten meat, he may have too much protein in his diet, or perhaps his body is not absorbing the nutrient properly.
Commonly reported odorous compounds associated with manure and waste water are those containing sulfur (e.g., hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans), those containing nitrogen (e.g., ammonia and amines), volatile organic acids, phenols, and alcohols (Table 2).
If the compost smells like sulphur or rotten eggs, then there is a lack of oxygen causing the pile to decompose anaerobically. (without oxygen). This can be due to either excess moisture or your pile being to compacted.
For best results, horse manure should be given to nitrogen-hungry plants such as corn, potatoes, garlic, and lettuce and it can also be fantastic for boosting your grass lawn. However steer clear of adding horse manure to flowering and fruiting plants such as tomatoes, and peppers.
You can reduce odors by preventing bacteria from growing in manure. Methods to reduce bacterial growth include killing bacteria with disinfectants, adding lime to raise manure pH, and keeping manure dry.
Manure that is piled and left alone will decompose slowly. This can take three to four months if conditions are ideal. It can take a year or more if the starting material contains a wide carbon:nitrogen ratio (as is the case when manure contains wood chips).
Hydrogen sulfide is considered the most dangerous of the byproducts of manure decomposition. It has a, distinct rotten egg smell and is heavier than air. After breathing this gas for a short time, your sense of smell becomes fatigued and you can no longer detect an odor.
Riley said the manure generated by farm animals "is not a waste product, but a resource. It has lots of nutrients in it," and it's used in lieu of chemical fertilizer to help plants grow. "It's not a great problem," he said. "The smell usually goes away in a day or two.
Organic manure by its very nature can be odorous and odour is the main cause of complaints from members of the public. Farmers must follow DEFRA guidance to ensure that the product is incorporated into the soil within 48 hours after spreading.
Manure not only piles up quickly, it is also a haven for parasites, leading to an infestation of flies and other insects and can even attract rodents. Thus, it is imperative every horse owner has a solid manure management plan.
Compost should smell like dirt and if it does not, there is something wrong and your compost pile is not properly heating up and breaking down the organic material. There is one exception to this rule and that is if you are composting manure in your compost pile. This will commonly smell until the manure breaks down.
For those who are looking for a quick and easy answer, then yes, horse manure is fantastic for gardens! Its organic and nutrient-rich matter gives a variety of plants that extra bit of goodness to ensure they grow and flourish even in areas where the topsoil isn't great.
Manures with a higher nitrogen content have the potential of producing more ammonia. The gas is colorless; however, it has a sharp pungent smell that can cause eye irritation and respiratory issues. While typically not deadly, there can be long-term effects from extended exposure.
Ammonia has a sharp pungent odor and is generally higher in poultry manure. It is lighter than air. Ammonia causes irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. At higher concentrations, this gas may cause permanent lung damage.
The anaerobic bacterial action that breaks down the manure can generate methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. These gases may produce toxic effects, but more important, they can displace oxygen in a confined space.
Nutrients: When not managed properly, horse manure (feces and urine) can pollute the environment, mainly as ground or surface water pollution due to the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon (organic matter). These nutrients can reach waterways as surface runoff or leachate from the manure pile.
Horse manure
Horse manure has a higher nitrogen and nutrient content than cow dung. Moreover, horse waste contains significantly less water than cow manure; therefore, it can include up to twice as much nitrogen when dried. Horse manure requires composting or aging to kill weed seeds, larvae, and pathogens.
Horse manure is biodegradable, natural and contains no petroleum or animal byproducts. Horse manure is an excellent fertilizer and can improve soil conditions. There are no known toxic effects on humans due to exposure to horse manure.
For sheer stink power, though, experts say manure is the worst, with pig manure the worst of the worst. “There are over 200 compounds in swine odor,” Colin Johnson, extension program specialist at the Iowa Pork Industry Center of Iowa State University.
One good option is to use a type of non-synthetic absorbant material such as attaplugite or zeolite. These materials are very efficient in reducing NH3 amounts that are released into the air – which are normally among the main culprits responsible for the bad smell.
They focused on ammonia, one of the smelliest gases animals produce. Based on their findings, laying hens and pigs produce far more ammonia dust than cattle do. The researchers attribute this to the way the animals are housed.