That way you know what you have and what the forage needs are. The process of sampling litter and the soil sampling fields where it will be applied is recommended or required in all waste management plans. Collect 6 representative sub-samples per house. Collect sub-samples from the top layer all the way down to the floor of the house. Each sub-sample should contain a handful of litter taken from the top, the middle and the bottom depths of litter.
Samples are easier to collect after tilling the litter.
Collect sub-samples in a clean, dry bucket. After sampling from each house transfer all sub-samples into a wheelbarrow or suitable clean container. Mix sub-samples thoroughly, and collect 2 quarts of litter out of the composite mix. That is one sample. Place the two-quart sample into a clean plastic bag, remove air from the bag leaving room for expansion.