Horskeeping on a Small Acreage , Horse Health Care , Your Pony, Your Horse A good understanding of composting will help if it is the method chosen. Composting reduces bulk, concentrates nutrients, and encourages the manure to release its nitrogen which diminishes odor and makes the manure more pleasant to handle. The end-product of composting is humus. This dark, uniform, finely-textured, odorless product of the decomposition of organic matter is valuable as a soil conditioner and additive.
Manure is comprised of undigested food, digestive juices, and bacteria.
The bacteria make up as much as thirty percent of the mass. Decomposition of manure begins with the formation of ammonia as urinary nitrogen decomposes. The level of fermentation depends on the degree of compaction and moisture content of the manure pile. A well-tamped but frequently turned pile makes the best environment for the aerobic bacteria of fermentation. The pile should be uniformly moist, about 50 percent.