It can eliminate the problem of having to dispose of manure during periods of heavy rain or snow that could produce manure runoff or nutrient leaching. Because it is non-burning to crops and its texture does not interfere with plant growth, compost can be topdressed on alfalfa fields between cuttings without stressing the plants or contaminating the next hay cutting. Compost fits like a glove on dairy farms where land is rolling and alfalfa is the preferred forage. One of the most exciting aspects of composted manure is the growing realization that compost can play a larger role in crop production. Many farmers appreciate the benefits of organic matter on soil quality and value manure for that reason.
Compost provides a biologically degraded form of organic matter high in humus.
It is biologically active and stimulates plant growth to a greater degree than its nutrient and organic matter content alone would explain. Research at Michigan State University has demonstrated that use of compost can alter the balance of soil nematode populations, suppressing plant parasitic species like root lesion nematodes and enhancing predator species. Instead of feeding on plant roots and adversely affecting crops, predator nematodes feed on other nematodes and their eggs and on disease-causing bacteria and fungi. MSU scientists Richard Harwood and George Bird say that compost will play a leading role in the next step of crop yield enhancement, reducing the need for synthetic pesticides and increasing yields at the same time. The heat generated by composting kills weed seeds and disease-causing organisms.